Bauchi State pays retired workers after decade-long wait
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In Bauchi State, Nigeria, Governor Bala Mohammed ordered the payment of outstanding gratuity to civil servants who retired between 2012 and 2016.
The governor, through his deputy Auwal Jatau, began distributing checks to the first group of retirees, with plans for continued payments until all eligible individuals receive what they are owed. The state committed N10 billion (Nigerian Naira) to address the accumulated obligations, which totaled N11.71 billion for both state and local government retirees.
The payments will proceed in order of when the debts originated, prioritizing those with complete and verified records. Officials will validate records to ensure transparency, and the government directed them to treat senior citizens with respect during the verification process. Governor Mohammed described the long delay in payment, over a decade for many, as a systemic injustice and acknowledged the loss of some retirees who did not live to receive their benefits.
The Bauchi State government established the Bauchi State Contributory Pension Scheme to improve pension management and data accuracy. Abubakar Sulaiman, Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, confirmed that the legislature approved the release of funds for this purpose. The governor urged beneficiaries to cooperate with the verification process and use the payments to support their families.
