In line with the directive of the Enugu State governor, Dr Peter Mbah, the state government has commenced the payment of gratuities to retired civil service workers in January this year.
Confirming the development to newsmen in his office on Tuesday, the State Accountant General, Mr Anthony Okenwa, said the government began with retirees who had passed through biometric verification mandated by the governor to eliminate ghost workers from the payroll and pensions records.
Mr Okenwa stated that the backlog of gratuities between 2010 and 2024 had been frozen to verify workers who retired within the period, assuring Governor Mbah’s determination to clear the arrears of inherited pensions and gratuities for all workers.
“As directed by the governor, we have begun paying gratuities to workers in the state civil service who retired from January this year. The backlog of gratuities for those who retired between 2010 and 2024 will be paid in instalments as soon as the verification exercise for the retirees is concluded.
“The governor’s directive is for all retirees to receive their arrears of pensions and gratuities in instalments until they are completely cleared”, he stated.
Recall that Mbah, while campaigning for governor in 2023, had promised to clear the arrears of pensions and gratuities inherited from past administrations in the state.
