Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has directed the commencement of payment of outstanding gratuity to retired civil servants from 2012 to 2016. The governor, represented by his deputy, Auwal Jatau, announced this during the symbolic handover of the cheque. He said the exercise would commence with the first batch of beneficiaries, while subsequent payments would be made until all eligible retirees had received their entitlements.
The state government has committed N10bn towards addressing the accumulated gratuity obligations owed to retirees. According to validated historical records, the total outstanding obligations for the period amounted to N11.71bn, comprising liabilities owed to state and local government retirees. The state component involves 3,570 beneficiaries with obligations amounting to N6.13bn, while the local government component covers 2,262 beneficiaries with outstanding obligations of N5.58bn.
The governor said the payment would be implemented progressively based on the chronology of outstanding obligations, completeness of supporting records, validation and reconciliation processes, as well as the resources approved for each phase. He assured that no eligible pensioner should interpret this first phase as an exclusion, and that the government would process systematically and transparently.
Many retired workers had waited for more than a decade to receive their gratuity, describing the backlog as one of the most challenging issues inherited by the administration. The governor acknowledged the plight of senior citizens, saying that when talking about monthly living, there should be dignity. He noted that it is a systemic injustice when, after finishing years of service, retirees are unable to receive their hard-earned entitlement.
The governor recognised the contributions of retirees who spent decades building the state’s infrastructure, schools, healthcare system and administrative machinery. He added that the government had established the Bauchi State Contributory Pension Scheme to strengthen the management of pension-related matters, including data validation, verification and reconciliation.
The Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Abubakar Sulaiman, said the legislature unanimously approved the release of funds for the payment of the outstanding gratuity. The governor directed the relevant committee and officials overseeing the exercise to ensure transparency, speed and fairness in the disbursement, and urged beneficiaries to provide necessary documentation and cooperate with the verification process.
The payment is not merely a financial intervention but a demonstration of the government’s commitment to addressing inherited obligations and improving the welfare of retirees. The governor urged beneficiaries to use the payments prudently to support themselves and their families. The exercise is expected to bring relief to retirees who have waited for years to receive their entitlements.
Key points
- The Bauchi State government has released N10bn to address the accumulated gratuity obligations owed to retirees from 2012 to 2016.
- A total of 5,832 beneficiaries are expected to receive their outstanding gratuity, comprising 3,570 state government retirees and 2,262 local government retirees.
- The payment will be implemented progressively based on the chronology of outstanding obligations and completeness of supporting records.
