By Fatima Zahra Muhammad
ASHENEWS reports that the Governor of Kebbi State, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu has approved the sum of N3.9 billion for payment of gratuities and pensions to civil servants in the state.
The government stated this in a statement signed by the Special Adviser (SA) Media to Kebbi State Governor, Yahaya Sarki.
According to the statement, the money covered outstanding gratuities of those whose names did not make the 2019 state and local governments’ payments and gratuities list pending from 2017 to 2021.
“the approval of Two Billion, Three Hundred and Sixty Million, One Hundred and Fifty-Six Thousand, Eight Hundred and One Naira, Seventy-Eight Kobo (N2,360,156,801.78K) is for the payment of gratuities and death benefits to beneficiaries who retired and were captured between January 1st, 2023 to May 15th, 2023 or beneficiaries of those who have died in the period.
“One Billion, Thirty-Two Million, Two Hundred and Sixteen Thousand, Eight Hundred and Seventeen Naira, Eighty Nine Kobo (N1,032,216,817.89K) is for the payment of balances of 2017/2018 Local Government and Local Government Education Authorities, LGEAs beneficiaries following the completion of verification by the committees.
“Furthermore, Two Hundred and Seventy-One Million, Five Hundred and Twenty-Two Thousand, Two Hundred and Ninety-Seven Naira, Sixty Eight Kobo(N271,522,297.68K) was approved by the Governor for the payment of gratuities and death benefits to the State and Local Government beneficiaries who retired or died in 2019 but were not in the earlier payment, however, they were later captured in the addendum provided by the Kwaido committee.
“Equally, the sum of Three Hundred and One Million, Five Hundred and Fifty-One Thousand, Six Hundred and Sixteen Naira, Ninety Kobo (N301,551,606.90K) has been approved for all pending cases that were hitherto not captured but subsequently verified by the Kwaido and Head of Service Committees.
The statement stressed that with this payment, the Kebbi State Government has fully paid the gratuities of all retirees and death benefits of those who served the State Government, Local Government, and Local Government Education Authorities LGEAs including contract workers and retired or those who died before May 15th, 2023.