…To Disburse N10bn First Tranche Next Week
The Enugu State Government has approved about N32 billion for the payment of outstanding gratuities owed to retired workers in the state since 2000.
Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, who disclosed this on Friday while briefing newsmen after the State Executive Council meeting at Government House, Enugu, said the first tranche of N10 billion will be disbursed from next week.
Onyia said the gesture is in line with Governor Peter Mbah administration’s resolve to clear all inherited gratuity and pension liabilities before the end of its first tenure.
He said the fund was captured in the 2026 Appropriation Law approved by the Enugu State House of Assembly.
“This amount of money was put in the 2026 budget and approved by the Enugu State House of Assembly. So, it is in appropriation law,” the SSG said.
He explained that government had suspended the old gratuity verification process in December 2025 and set up a committee to review all records dating back to 2000.
According to him, the committee verified 66,783 records across workforce and pension-gratuity categories, upon which the N32 billion liability was arrived at.
“The gratuity owed to every retiree across the board from 2000 will be paid,” Onyia assured, adding that payments will continue in tranches until the entire verified sum is cleared.
The SSG said the verification exercise was to block leakages, prevent fraudulent claims and ensure only genuine beneficiaries are paid. He advised retirees with complaints to channel them to the committee for review.
Onyia also revealed that outstanding gratuities at the local government level is estimated at over N10 billion, adding that Governor Mbah has approved a meeting of the State Economic Council to address the issue.
He clarified that the current exercise focuses on legacy gratuities, noting that payment of pension arrears had already commenced after verification of eligible beneficiaries.
The briefing was attended by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dr. Malachy Agbo; Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Barr. Chimaobi Okorie; and Commissioner for Human Development and Poverty Eradication, Prof. Benedett Ekwutosi Okoli.
