. BAUCHI STARTS PAYMENT OF ₦10BN GRATUITY BACKLOG

 The Bauchi State Government has commenced the payment of a ₦10 billion allocation to settle outstanding gratuities owed to retired civil servants who left service between 2012 and 2016.

Governor Bala Mohammed, represented by his deputy, Auwal Jatau, announced the commencement of the payment during the flag-off ceremony in Bauchi.

The government said validated records showed that the total outstanding gratuity for the affected period stood at ₦11.71 billion, covering state and local government retirees. 

The state government component covers 3,570 beneficiaries with obligations of ₦6.13 billion, while the local government component involves 2,262 beneficiaries with outstanding payments of ₦5.58 billion.

The payments will be made progressively, taking into account the chronology of the outstanding obligations, verification of records and available funds.

The governor said the exercise was designed to address a long-standing obligation to retirees, some of whom had waited for more than a decade to receive their entitlements.

The Bauchi State House of Assembly approved the release of funds for the payment, with Speaker Abubakar Sulaiman saying the legislature would continue to provide oversight.

The initial phase is expected to cover about 1,700 retirees, while subsequent payments will continue until eligible beneficiaries are settled.