Why we sanitized payment of gratuity to retirees, says Engineer Sule

…as Governor distributes palliatives in Nasarawa-Eggon, Kokona

Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, has lamented the plight of retired civil servants in the state who mostly retire without accessing their gratuity, saying that explained why on coming into office in 2019, his administration undertook the process of sanitizing the payment of gratuity.

Engineer Sule disclosed this while distributing palliatives to vulnerable persons in Nasarawa-Eggon Local Government Area, on Friday.

The Governor lamented that there were civil servants in the state who retired as far back as 1996 but who are yet to receive their gratuity.

He said his administration decided to increase the monthly amount of money set aside for the payment of gratuity to retirees so that many more would benefit.

“Because we have a lot of retirees in Nasarawa State, some of them I feel so sorry for them because they were supposed to receive their gratuity as they were leaving but because it was not well planned, a lot of retirees up till this moment, have not collected their gratuity, especially at the local government level.

“Even though at the state level we decided to increase the amount so that more people would be receiving the gratuity. When I came in 2019, we realized that there were some people that retired in 1996 and they were not given their gratuity. And because they don’t have anybody to stand for them, some that retired in 2015, 2016 would get their gratuity. So we decided to change the system,” he stated.

The Governor restated the plan of his administration geared towards cushioning the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy on civil servants and retirees, both at the state and local government levels.

For the next six months retirees from both the state and local government levels would receive N5000 as palliative.

“For workers, for the next six months, starting from this week, we are not going to merge it with salary. We would wait. Immediately workers finished receiving their salaries, for the next six months, every worker both at the state and local government levels, would continue to receive N10000 as palliative from the side of the state government.

“For the next six months retirees from both the state and local government levels would also receive N5000 as palliative,” he said.

The Governor used the opportunity of the event to thank President Bola Tinubu, for coming up with the initiative to ameliorate the hardship being experienced by the people.

“Let’s use the opportunity at this moment to appreciate our dear President for coming up with this initiative, which is aimed at cushioning the effect of the hardship created by the removal of oil subsidy. It’s very important that we continue to express our appreciation to the Federal Government for just coming out with this initiative,” he added.

He also appreciated traditional rulers across the state for their continued support towards ensuring that the exercise is carried out peacefully and in line with the plan of the Federal Government.

“After the removal of the subsidy and the jump in the price of petroleum products, the prices of everything in the market actually went up. And so Mr. President came up with this wonderful initiative that N5bn would be given to every state, irrespective of the size of the state and its population.

“And that is the same way we are sharing. When we are sharing, we give it equally to every ward, irrespective of the size of the ward. On the N5bn, N4bn would come in cash, and N1bn would come in the form of grains,” he explained.

Engineer Sule explained further that, whatever his administration is doing so far, is out of the two billion naira, as well as the extra support provided by the state government.

“What we did is to say that every ward would receive 100 bags of 50kg of rice. Since we have four wards in Nasarawa-Eggon and another six wards in Agidi Development Area, we are giving out 1000 bags of 50kg of rice.

“And because when people receive rice, sometimes they have to remove some measures out to sell in order to be able to cook the rice and we don’t want them to do that, so we decided from the state level, to give N5000 to every beneficiary of the 50kg bag,” he stated.

The Governor re-emphasized that distributing the palliative is not political, stressing that he is on ground to ensure that every deserving beneficiary gets it irrespective of political party.

“I want to also make it categorically clear, that is why I am going around myself to share the palliatives and I am relying on our traditional rulers that this is not political. This is not for APC. This is for all the people of Nasarawa State, irrespective of their political party. And that’s why the Chairman of IPAC is with us,” he said.

While promising to repeat the programme once the state receives its remaing two billion naira from the Federal Government, Engineer Sule recalled that 3000 bags of 7.5kg of rice were shared to beneficiaries in Akun Development Area yesterday.

In a welcome address, Hon. Danlami Mohammed Idris, Chairman, Nasarawa-Eggon Local Government Area, commended Engineer Sule for demonstrating selfless and visionary leadership.

He however called on the people to remain resolute especially at this trying moment, while also assuring them of the commitment of the APC government at various levels, in bringing lasting solutions to the temporary hardship brought about by the removal of the oil subsidy.

On his part and in a goodwill message, the Aren Eggon, HRH Justice Ahmed Ubangari, ommended the Federal Government for fulfilling its promise to make available N5bn to each state, as well as Engineer Sule for unfolding an efficient procedure, with check and balances for these items and money to go to the commonest persons.

After distributing the pallitives in Nasarawa-Eggon, Engineer Sule undertook similar exercise in Garaku, headquarters of Kokona Local Government Area.