Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru, has paid gratuities for 533 more retired workers in the state.
The retirees are the last batch the governor scheduled for payment of their gratuities.
This was contained in a statement signed by the state Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Jude Okpor.
He noted that as at Thursday 9th May, 2024 the last batch (phase 11) which comprises of spill over retirees between 1996 to 2021 were cleared and paid with a total number of 256 retirees receiving their payment in full, bringing the total gratuity amount paid in that category to N394,907,784.91 kobo.
“Also, cleared and paid during the seven days exercise were retirees between (2022 – 2023), with a total number of 277 cleared and paid in that category, with a total gratuity paid amounting to N1,030,972,870.05.
“It is indisputably correct to say that the Ebonyi State government under the pragmatic leadership of the governor has practically cleared all arrears of gratuity owed retirees from the creation of the state to 2023, with a total gratuity sum of N5,036,211,140.06 paid to a total of 2,099 retirees.
“Further breakdown of the total sum and beneficiaries reveal that the Governor Nwifuru-led administration in the first phase of the exercise paid a total of N3,610,330,485.64 to 1,566 retirees, who patiently awaited their entitlement between (1996 – 2021), while a total number of 533 retirees were cleared and paid a total gratuity amount of N1, 425,880,654.96 in the second phase.
“We therefore call on Ebonyians to continue to reciprocate His Excellency’s good gestures through prayers and loyalty to his administration as his government girds loins for better gestures in favour of Ebonyi people”, he said.