April 26, (THEWILL) – Ebonyi State Government under Governor David Nwaeze Umahi, has approved the payment of over four hundred and eighty-nine billion as pensions and gratuities to retirees of the state.
Commissioner for Information, Barrister Uchenna Orji, stated this while briefing journalists after Tuesday’s Executive Council meeting at the New Government House in Ochudo City, Abakaliki.
According to him, the pensions and gratuities of N485,953,423.13 and N4,243,348,571.21 respectively owed the retirees include arrears from the previous administrations.
Orji said, “Exco received a report on the progress made in sorting out the issues surrounding the arrears of pensions and gratuities to retired civil servants in the State. Exco noted the total arrears of pensions and gratuities owed to the State retirees, including arrears from the previous administrations as follows: Gratuity – N4,243,348,571.2, Pension – N485,953,423.13.
“It Approved the immediate payment of the total arrears of pensions due to the State Pensioners amounting to N485,953,423.13 covering arrears from all the previous administrations.
“Exco noted the outstanding gratuities due to the State retirees from inception of the State worth N4,243,348,571.21 and approved that the sum of One Billion Naira be released for payment as gratuities to the State retirees effective May, 2023, payable from the funds accruing from Stamp Duties, while the balance of the outstanding sum will be carried over to the next administration.
“Exco noted that the Local Government Councils are not owing any arrears of pensions to their retirees except outstanding gratuities which are being worked out.
“Exco, therefore, approved that the sum of Five Hundred Million Naira (N500,000,000.00) be released in the interim from funds accruing from Stamp Duties for the commencement of immediate payment of the arrears of gratuities due to Local Government retirees”, he said.
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