Ebonyi State releases N1.5b for pension, gratuity arrears

The Ebonyi Government on Thursday released N1.5 billion to settle arrears of workers’ pension and gratuities accruing from Oct.2, 2016 to June 6, 2017.

Senator Emmanuel Onwe, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, disclosed this in a statement in Abakaliki.

According to him, the decision was sequel to a report submitted by the committee on verification of workers’ pensions and gratuities to the state executive council.

“The council has authorised the release of N750 million for the payment of pension and gratuity arrears of retired state civil servants.

“The council also authorised the release of N750 million for the payment of the pension arrears and gratuities of local government workers,” he said.

The commissioner said that Gov. David Umahi had directed all eligible beneficiaries to proceed to the Deputy Governor’s Office for verification and to ensure that the payments were disbursed with dispatch.

Onwe said that government would release funds for the ongoing economic empowerment for over 2,000 widows across the state on Monday, Aug. 21.

Onwe said that the N1billion budgeted for empowerment of 4,000 eligible persons of the state was still being disbursed by the Ministry of Empowerment and Job Creation.

He said that over 1,000 persons had already applied and collected grants of N250, 000 each.