Ebonyi Governor Clears 25 Years Gratuity, Pensions Arrears

Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, has said that his government will commence the payment of pension and gratuity backlogs owed retirees from 2022 to 2023 by December this year.

Nwifuru made the commitment as he began paying gratuities and pension arrears to retirees in the state which has lingered from 1996 to 2021.

The governor disclosed this when he visited the centre that the committee were paying the pensioners.

Nwifuru said, “I was delighted to see the joy on the faces of our retirees (1996 to 2021) whose gratuities we have paid. Today was the mop-up day and I decided to visit the arena.

“I am immensely grateful to the committee led by our beloved Prof. Mrs. Adeline Idike. I listened to a retiree over the radio, who clearly said that his happiness was not only in the fact that he got paid, but the way and manner he was treated, so kindly. I thank the committee for being very much committed. We will not take their efforts for granted.

“We did not embark on this journey because of the level of resources available to us, but because it is a necessity.

“My happiness is that the retirees are feeling the impact of our government. There is nothing else that is Government if you cannot take care of your people.”

The governor said he did not commit to settling the arrears because the state had enough resources but because it was a necessity.

The governor said he has approved the extension of the verification exercise by a month to allow unverified retirees to complete their verification so that they would be paid their arrears.

He also promised to commence the payment of 2022 and 2023 pension and gratuities backlogs by December this year.

Nwifuru said, “I have been told that some people were not captured in the list either through omission or that they were not verified in November 2022. I have pleaded with the committee to extend their work by one month to ensure everyone gets verified and paid.

“We have agreed in our Executive Council that by the Grace of God, by December, we should have been paying gratuities of pensioners who retired from 2022 to 2023.

“EXCO has approved as well, that if one is due to retire in three months, the person proceeds on leave and uses that period to process all necessary documents, so that once he or she is bowing out, his or her gratuity will be paid.

“Such payment will be a verification of one who is due to start receiving pension in subsequent months. As such, those who have padded their ages should have no one to blame.”