The Bauchi State Government has begun paying long-awaited gratuities to more than 1,700 retirees, with ₦10 billion released for the first batch.
Some of the beneficiaries have waited for more than a decade for their entitlements, as the government pledges to clear the state’s outstanding gratuity backlog up to 2026.
For many of these retired workers, the wait for their gratuities has lasted more than ten years.
They gathered at the Bauchi Local Government audit premises for verification ahead of the payment of their outstanding entitlements.
The exercise covers retirees from the state and local government services across Bauchi’s 20 local government areas.
Deputy Chairman of the High-Powered Committee responsible for verifying beneficiaries, Hassan El-Yakub, SAN, explained the mode of disbursement and assured the retirees of a transparent and hitch-free exercise.
Governor Bala Mohammed, represented by his Deputy, Auwal Jatau, says the payments will be made in batches.
The first batch covers local government retirees from 2012 to 2016 and state government retirees from 2013 to 2016, with ₦10 billion set aside for the initial payments.
Representatives of organised labour, traditional leaders and the pensioners’ union welcomed the move to address the gratuity backlog.
They also acknowledged the implementation of the ₦70,000 minimum wage and ₦32,000 minimum pension in the state.
The Bauchi State Government says the exercise is part of efforts to settle outstanding obligations to retired workers and improve their welfare after years of service.
It is pledging to clear the state’s outstanding gratuity backlog up to 2026.
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(Editor: Ada Ononye)
