Bauchi begins payment of N10bn outstanding gratuities to retirees

The Bauchi State Government has commenced the payment of outstanding gratuities owed to retired civil servants who left the service between 2012 and 2016.

Governor Bala Mohammed announced the commencement of the exercise on Wednesday at a presentation ceremony, where he was represented by his deputy, Auwal Jatau.

The governor said the state had set aside N10 billion to begin clearing the accumulated gratuity obligations owed to retirees.

He explained that government records showed that the outstanding liabilities for the period stood at N11.71 billion, covering both state and local government retirees.

According to him, 3,570 state retirees are owed about N6.13 billion, while another 2,262 local government retirees have outstanding gratuities amounting to N5.58 billion.

Mohammed said the payments would be made in phases, beginning with the first batch of beneficiaries, with subsequent disbursements to follow until all verified beneficiaries had been paid.

He explained that the payment schedule would take into account the age of the outstanding obligations, availability of supporting documents, verification and reconciliation of records, as well as funds approved for each phase.

The governor said, “No eligible pensioner should interpret this first phase as an exclusion. We are beginning from defined historical brackets so that the government can process systematically and transparently.

“We are starting here, but we are not stopping here. The validated historical records before the government cover the accumulated obligations.”

He said some retirees had waited for more than 10 years for their gratuities, describing the backlog as one of the major challenges inherited by his administration.

Mohammed said, “Today, we say to you, your wait is finally coming to an end. Acknowledging the plight of our senior citizens, when we talk about monthly living, there should be dignity.

“It is a systemic injustice when, after finishing years of service, you are unable to receive your hard-earned entitlement. Sadly, we have lost some of our colleagues along the way without them tasting the fruit of their labour.”

Mohammed directed officials handling the exercise to ensure that the disbursement was transparent, timely and fair, while warning against unnecessary bureaucratic delays.

He also directed that elderly beneficiaries be given priority and treated with dignity throughout the verification and payment processes.

The governor urged retirees to submit the required documents, cooperate with the verification exercise and use the funds judiciously to meet their needs and support their families.

Meanwhile, the Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Abubakar Sulaiman, said the legislature had unanimously approved the release of funds for the payment of the outstanding gratuities.