GOVERNOR LAWAL PAYS N4.3 BILLION BACKLOG OF GRATUITY OWED SINCE 2011

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Over four billion Naira in gratuities, overdue since 2011, have been paid to retired workers in Zamfara State by Governor Dauda Lawal.

In Zamfara State, retired state and local government employees have not received the gratuities that have accumulated over time.

According to a statement issued by Sulaiman Bala Idris, the governor of Zamfara’s spokesperson, gratuity payments for state and local government employees started in February following the authentication and validation of retirees.

The announcement claims that state and local government pensioners have received payments totaling N4,337,087,492.06 billion from the Zamfara State government in four installments.

“In February, Governor Dauda Lawal set up a committee to validate retiree data and settle the gratuity debt that has accumulated since 2011 as part of his effort to sanitize the civil service in Zamfara State.

“After verifying the data of retired civil servants in Zamfara, the government discovered that state and local governments owed a total of N13.4 billion.

“In the first, second, and third tranches of payment, 1,088 verified state pensioners were paid their total gratuity entitlements. The total amount paid was N1,836,836,018.95

“This month, 284 verified state pensioners were paid their gratuity arrears worth N499,435,942.42 in the fourth batch. The total amount paid by the state pension rose to N2,336,271,961.37.

“Furthermore, a total of 1,744 retired Local Government and Primary School Teachers who retired between 2011 and 2018 have been paid N2,000,815,530.69 in four batches.

“The ongoing gratuity payment is a remarkable achievement, and it is expected to provide some relief to the beneficiaries who have been waiting for years to receive their benefits.

“Governor Lawal’s administration has shown that it remains focused on fulfilling its promises to the people of Zamfara State.”