Bauchi Approves N500m to Pay Gratuities

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

The Bauchi State Head of Civil Service (HoS), Alhaji Yahuza Haruna, has  announced the approval of N500 million by the state Governor, Bala Mohammed, for the payment of gratuities with immediate effect.

Haruna announced this at the weekend while briefing journalists on the outcome of an extraordinary meeting of the State Executive Council (SEC) presided over by the governor at the Council Chambers, Government House in Bauchi.

The HoS said the state government had already worked out the modality of offsetting the gratuity in the state once and for all with the introduction of a new pension scheme recently signed by the governor.

According to him, “It is a known fact that if there is any issue that bedeviled this government is that of gratuity arrears. In an effort to ensure that this ugly trend does not continue, a lasting solution has been sought and implemented

“Due to hardship and the governor being a listening person, he is paying N500 million for the payment of gratuities with immediate effect.” 

“The N500 million is for gratuity only, and for the record purposes, the state government has been paying pension and salaries as at when due.”

Haruna explained that the state government was concerned about the welfare of not only the pensioners but also those in the service, and called for continued support for the government in its reforms agenda for the best interest of the service and workers.

Also speaking, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sabi’u Gwalabe, mentioned some of the achievements recorded in the health sector by the administration of Mohammed to include the construction, renovation and equipping of 14 general hospitals as well as construction, renovation and equipping of primary health care centres across the state.

“The state government also paid about N100 million counterpart funds for the basic care provisions. The governor has also paid about $100,000 as a counterpart to impact project which is about to kick off in the 14 states of the federation,” he said.

The state Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Aminu Hammayo, who spoke on the preparation for the 2023 budget proposal, assured the state that the state government would consolidate on its gains achieved in previous proposals as contained in a statement issued by the state.