The Kebbi State Government has approved over N3.9 billion for the payment of gratuity to state, Local Government and Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs) civil servants.
Addressing Journalists at the Carbinate Office in Birnin Kebbi on Thursday, the Acting Head of Service in the state, Alhaji Safiyanu Garba-Bena said Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi had graciously given approval for payment of the verified staff.
He said: “You will recall that during my last media briefing, I ‘ve told you that His Excellency, Sen. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu has promised that he is going to hand over to the next government without any outstanding gratuity.
“I am delighted to appear before you to inform you that His Excellency has fulfilled his promise with an approval of close to N4 billion, precisely, N3,911,447,534:25.”
According to him, the approval is to cover State, Local Government and Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs) retired civil servants across the state.
He added that the money also covered outstanding gratuity of those ommited from payment covering 2019 State and LG addendum and pending cases of 2017 to 2021 which had been lingering for long.
Garba-Bena noted with satisfaction that Kebbi had set a record as the only state across Nigeria that settled all outstanding gratuity of its retired workers across the state, assuring that no retired worker was owing government a Kobo as at May 15, 2023.
“This is a remarkable achievement, because there is no state across the federation that set this record, we have to appreciate His Excellency for this gigantic effort. Remember, there are states that can’t even pay salaries talk less of paying gratuity,” he noted.
The acting Head of Service advised the beneficiaries not to use the money to add more wives, instead, they should make judicious use of the money to benefit their immediate family and to some extent the society at large.
Responding, the Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Kebbi State chapter, Alhaji Murtala Usman appreciated Gov. Bagudu for being alive to his responsibility