Ebonyi Govt Approves Over N4b To Pay Off Retired Civil Servants, N2b, Others For Palliatives
By Joyce Onuora, Abakaliki
Ebonyi State Governor Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru has approved over N4.3billion for the payment of arrears of gratuity owned to retired civil servants from 1996 to 2021
The Governor also announced the release of the sum of two billion naira and three thousand bags of rice to Ebonyi people as palliatives by the Nigerian government to cushion the effect of economic challenges.
The State Commissioner for Information and State Orientation Engr. Jude Chikadibia Okpor disclosed this while briefing pressmen on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting in Abakaliki
He noted that the Executive Council set up three committees to oversee the implementation of those approvals by the state government
The information commissioner also noted that the council directed that all issues around those who are yet to receive the payment of their pension which is still ongoing should be resolved without no further delay.
He said: “In furtherance of the resolve of the people-oriented and purpose-driven administration of His Excellency, Rt Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru to lift the living standard of the majority of Ebonyians through Human Capital development policies, the Ebonyi State Executive Council also approved the payment of arrears of gratuity to retired civil servants from 1996 to 2021 with a cost implementation of over four billion nairas (#4.3b)”.
“This magnanimous gesture of His Excellency aimed at ameliorating the suffering of our senior citizens will unarguably serve as a moral booster to workers who are still in service”.
“Exco members expressed their support for this decision with a standing ovation to His Excellency, the chairman of the council”.
In the same vein, the Ebonyi state government under Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru approved an empowerment package of two million naira each for one thousand five hundred young Ebonyians involved in street hawking and other menial jobs both those living and outside the state.
It will be recalled that Exco had earlier directed the Commissioner for Skill Development and Job Creation and his counterpart in the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Business Development to visit major cities in the country to bring back young Ebonyians indulging in street hawking and other menial jobs for training in skills and businesses of their choice.
“To further demonstrate the readiness of the Ebonyi State Government to drive the programme to a logical conclusion, the Exco approved an empowerment package of two million naira each for one thousand five hundred young Ebonyians involved in street hawking and other menial jobs both at home and across the major cities after graduation from the training”.
