Wole Ayodele
The entire Taraba State was thrown into jubilant mood last Wednesday, following the pronouncement by Governor Agbu Kefas that the sum of N1 billion has been provided for the immediate payment of all outstanding gratuity of retirees in the state. Besides the N1 billion, the governor also disclosed that N200 million would be allocated on a monthly basis for the exercise until all outstanding gratuity are fully paid.
While it is not unexpected that retirees in the state, many of whom are living in very harsh and sympathetic conditions due to non-payment of their gratuity celebrating the development, it was however strange that serving civil servants are celebrating the announcement more than the elder statesmen.
The reason for jubilation among civil servants is not far-fetched. The last time the state government paid gratuity was 2011, though the immediate past administration paid some who were either related or have close ties with the governor. Therefore, the non-payment of gratuity had weakened the morale of civil servants since majority of them look forward to the payment of their gratuity to start life after retirement.
With the hope of being paid gratuity fast evaporating within the civil service, despondency, corruption and outright stealing of public funds became the order of the day thereby leading to a near collapse of government business and the public service entirely. It is therefore not strange to see serving civil servants owning multi million naira businesses without any fear of probe.
Since assuming office on May 29, 2023, Kefas has taken steps that clearly indicate that the rejuvenation of the civil service is a paramount goal of his administration. First among the steps taken so far was the restoration of running cost to the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA’s) which was stopped by the immediate past administration.
Similarly, training workshops for some categories of civil servants were organised in Jalingo, Abuja and Lagos to enhance and build their capacities while brand new operational vehicles were procured for the MDA’s which has really gone a long way to reinvigorate activities and government business.
And in a radical departure from the past and a strong signal that he’s unapologetically committed to making the civil service vibrant and professional, the governor made all the Permanent Secretaries to undergo written examination and interview to determine the most qualified among them for appointment as Head of Service. A seven-man committee, headed by Danladi Kifasi, a former Head of Service of the Federation was inaugurated to conduct the exercise.
Even as dust of the ovation that followed the steps he’s taken so far was yet to settle, the governor seems to have put the icing on the cake with the commencement of payment of all outstanding gratuities dating back to 2011. Indeed, the governor knows how to strike the right cords in the hearts of the people.
Apart from the euphoria that greeted the declaration of free primary and secondary education as well as 50 per cent reduction in fees of tertiary institutions in the state, none of the programmes or policies of the Kefas administration has elicited much appreciation from indigenes and residents of Taraba like the payment of gratuity to retirees.
Commending the governor for being sensitive to the plight of retirees, the State Head of Service, Paul Tino, said the governor has done what no other governor did since the creation of the state in 1991, adding that he has put smiles on the face of pensioners.
“What the governor did is highly commendable. No governor, since the creation of the state in 1991 has performed such feat. He has put smiles on the faces of the retirees especially at this critical period when there’s suffering and hardship everywhere. What we can do now is to pray to God to give him the grace to do more for the people. Sincerely speaking, everybody is very happy,” he added.
=Speaking to THISDAY at the venue of the screening and payment exercise, a retiree, 76-year-old Pa Mathew Dauda who retired in 2011, expressed appreciation to the governor for the gesture and thanked God for keeping him alive to witness the occasion. He noted that many of his colleagues have died while waiting for their gratuity some of whom he said died miserably.
=According to him “My joy knows no bounds. We are very grateful to the governor for this heartwarming gesture. He has proven that he has a Godly heart. I give thanks and praises to God Almighty for given me the grace to be alive to witness this occasion. Many of my colleagues have died and some very miserably. I pray that God will continue to direct the steps of the governor and grant him sound health and long live.”
=In the same vein, Mrs. Lydia S. Ambituni, who retired as a Permanent Secretary in 2014, commended the governor for his magnanimity saying many retirees have given up on the payment of their gratuity since previous administrations failed to do so. She noted that the payment would go a long way to boost the economy of the state saying it would surely have a positive ripple effect on the various sectors of the economy
=“I’m pleasantly surprised with the governor’s gesture even though I knew from day one that he will govern with the fear of God. We are very grateful to him because it is the prayer of every worker to eat the fruits of his labour after retirement. But it is pathetic when retirees are not paid their entitlements thirteen years after retirement. Many people have lost hope and resigned to fate,” he added.
=“But I must say the retirees are not the only ones to benefit from this payment. It will percolate through all the sectors of the state’s economy because the money must go round. Some people will use theirs to start building projects thereby boosting businesses and provide jobs for artisans like bricklayers, carpenters, iron benders, labourers and so on while it would also reduce crime rate in the state,” he said.
=In his words, Benjamin Kussa Baissa, told THISDAY that the governor has written his name in gold and would surely leave a positive footprint on the sands of time stressing that the gesture would surely reawaken the spirit of dedication to work and commitment to service thereby enhancing their output.=
“I can confidently tell you that Governor Agbu Kefas is the father of the modern civil service in Taraba state. Since coming on board in less than a year, he has completely transformed the state civil service from the comatose state he met it. You need to see the mood of civil servants now. They’re now sure that they’ll be paid their gratuity after retirement and this will make them to give their best to the system,” he said.
Signing the approval for the payments of the 13 years’ backlog, Kefas directed the ministry of finance to ensure immediate payments of the overdue entitlements just as he expressed regret over the delays stressing that his government would not abandon workers who had served their fatherland diligently.
However, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Dr. Jeji William, told THISDAY that the N200 million was the least amount the governor intends to allocate monthly for the payment of gratuity. He explained that the allocation could be up to N500 million, depending on the allocation received from the Federation Account.
Williams maintained that the governor is determined and passionate about the plight of retirees in the state and would not leave any stone unturned to guarantee that their welfare is well taken care of.
“The governor, Dr Agbu Kefas is prepared to increase the monthly allocation of N200 million for payment of gratuities as soon as there is an increase in the state’s allocation. He is very passionate and determined to address the plight of retirees in the state and as a retiree himself, he will leave no stone unturned to guarantee their welfare,” he stated.
Besides, Williams stated that the governor met a myriad of problems and challenges on ground when he took over the mantle of leadership last year and as a retired Military Officer, he’s taking the bull by the horn and in a hurry to fix the state to the admiration of the entire country.
“This is evident in his courageous move to implement free education in all primary and secondary schools in the state and the award and dualisation of the almost 300 km Wukari-Jalingo-Zing road which is a federal road. These are unprecedented,” he added.
Permanent Secretary, Pensions, Mrs. Rose Garba Ajiya, assured retirees that their many years of anguish and frustration has ended as she assured them that she and her team are well prepared to ensure smooth payment of the gratuities noting that all records are available and accurately kept.
The Commissioner of Finance, Dr. Sarah Enoch Adi, told THISDAY that the retirees that have been screened have started receiving their gratuity. She however declined to give a definite time when the screening would end but assured pensioners that they’ll be paid as soon as they finish screening.
“Though the screening exercise is ongoing, we have started paying those that have been screened based on the governor’s directive. We are screening retirees from 2011 till date and it may take a longer time to conclude but they would receive their payment as soon as they are screened and I can assure you nobody would be left out”, she maintained.
To the vast majority of the people of the state, Kefas, who is fondly called ‘Starboy’ by his admirers, may sooner than later acquire the sobriquet ‘talk and do’ due to the speed at which he’s fulfilling his campaign promises including the payment of gratuities to pensioners.
