Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has announced the approval of N1.6 billion for the payment of gratuities owed to retired civil servants for the year 2012.
The governor made the disclosure on Thursday in Lafia, the state capital, during the distribution of 100 electric cars and tricycles to youths drawn from the 13 local government areas of the state. The initiative, he explained, is aimed at empowering young people and promoting entrepreneurship.
Sule stated that his administration had cleared gratuity arrears for state retirees covering 1996 to 2011 and was now settling 2012 in full.
“This year, at the state level, we are also paying all the 2012. We will be paying them 100 per cent of their money amounting to N1.6 billion,” the governor said.
He further revealed that the state government would provide an additional N600 million to support local government councils in paying their outstanding gratuities.
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“For the retired civil servants, if you remember, we started this payment of gratuity from the year 1996 to 2011, and they have been fully paid,” Sule noted.
The governor, however, cautioned councils against overstaffing, which he described as the major reason for their financial burden.
“Every year, the LGAs leave gratuity between N5 billion and N6 billion; there is no way they will be able to pay,” he explained.
Sule therefore urged the Nasarawa State House of Assembly to conduct an audit of the 13 LGAs as part of their oversight responsibilities to ascertain the true staff records.
