Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has announced the approval of ₦1.6 billion for the payment of 2012 gratuities owed to retired civil servants in the state.
The governor made the disclosure on Thursday in Lafia, the state capital, during a youth empowerment programme where 100 electric vehicles and tricycles were distributed to young people across the 13 local government areas of Nasarawa State.
Governor Sule revealed that his administration has fully cleared all gratuity arrears from 1996 to 2011, and the latest ₦1.6bn allocation will cover the outstanding for 2012 retirees.
“This year, at the state level, we are paying all the 2012 retirees 100 per cent of their entitlements, amounting to ₦1.6 billion,” he stated.
In addition to the state-level payments, Sule said the state government will provide ₦600 millionin support to local governments to enable them to meet their own gratuity obligations.
However, the governor raised concerns about overstaffing at the local government level, blaming it for the inability of LGAs to manage their gratuity liabilities, which reportedly reach ₦5–₦6 billion annually.
“There’s no way they can meet those obligations if the overstaffing issue isn’t addressed,” he warned.
He also urged the Nasarawa State House of Assembly to carry out an audit of all 13 local governments to verify staff records and curb irregularities.
The move to clear outstanding pensions, empower youths with electric vehicles, and enforce fiscal discipline at the LGA level comes as part of Governor Sule’s broader efforts to promote transparency, economic empowerment, and sustainable development across the state.
