Kano govt to pay N6bn in gratuities to retired workers

The Kano State government plans to pay N6 billion in gratuities to about 5,500 retired civil servants.

Abba Yusuf, the Governor of Kano State, disclosed this to Journalists on Saturday.

The government said the fund is part of what is set aside to offset over N40 billion in gratuities owed by the immediate past administration.

According to the governor, the gratuity payment scheduled to commence next week, would start with low-grade retired civil servants whose payable amount did not exceed one million.

“We have the lists of the beneficiaries and the money at hand by next week; we will commence the payment without delay.

“I always sleep and wake up with the issue of gratuities of retired civil servants in my mind. I always think about how to settle and clear this backlog.

I frequently summon meetings with the Accountant General, Chairman Pension Trust fund, and others to assist me on the way forward.

“It is in the course of this meeting we decided to start paying those of low-grade level, whose amounts have not exceeded N1 million or little above N1 million down to like N150,000 or N250,000.

“I asked them to compile the list, and we have got the names of over 5,500 of them.

“By next week, they will receive their gratuities, Insha Allah. The total amount, as we calculated, is about N6 billion, and the State Executive Council has since approved it.

“Let me also tell you that we have the money at hand. We have not borrowed a dime to pay this gratuity,” he said.