The Gombe State Executive Council, led by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has approved the disbursement of ₦4.205 billion for the payment of 2019/2020 gratuities to 2,204 retired civil servants in the state.
Announcing the decision to journalists in Gombe, Deputy Governor Dr. Manassah Daniel Jatau highlighted that the approval comes after successfully clearing a backlog of gratuities from 2014 to 2018, amounting to over ₦13 billion. This move reflects the government’s commitment to prioritising the welfare of retirees.
Dr. Jatau said this would benefit 5,658 retirees at the state level and 6,027 retirees at the local government level.
He further disclosed that since the inception of Governor Yahaya’s administration, the sum of 17.235 billion naira had been used to settle gratuities for retired civil servants across the state and local governments.
The Deputy Governor described the administration’s commitment to consistent gratuity payments and overall retirement benefit settlements as a rare benchmark.
Infrastructure
The Commissioner of Works, Housing, and Transport, Mr Usman Maijama’a Kallamu, revealed that the Council had approved 31.547 billion naira for the construction of an underpass to connect Yemi Osibanjo Road with the Central Business District and the State Secretariat, as well as the construction of 18.1 kilometres of the road network within the areas.
The commissioner explained that the approval was necessitated by the anticipated increase in traffic once the Central Business District becomes operational.
He said the contract, awarded to Triacta Nigeria, had a 20-month completion timeline.
The commissioner gave assurances that the ongoing work at the Central Business District was making progress as planned and would be delivered on schedule.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Finance and Economic Development, Malam Muhammad Gambo Magaji, spoke on the approval of the Gombe State 2025 Business Enabling and Regulatory Action Plan (BERAP).
The plan, according to him, is a prerequisite for implementing the State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER), a World Bank programme aimed at improving the business environment in participating states.
The commissioner noted that Gombe State’s continuous investment in security and pro-business policies has fostered a stable, productive, and competitive environment for businesses to thrive.
The Head of Civil Service, Armed Kasimu Abdullahi, commended Governor Inuwa Yahaya for fulfilling his promise to clear all gratuity backlogs before leaving office.
He urged civil servants to reciprocate the gesture by demonstrating greater commitment to their duties.
The Head of Service also advised retirees to make prudent use of their entitlements to improve their livelihoods and contribute to the state’s economic growth.
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