Bauchi pays N5.2bn gratuity to retired workers for 2012–2014

A total of ₦5.2 billion has been paid as gratuity to retired civil servants in Bauchi State, covering state and local government workers who retired between 2012 and 2014.

The disclosure was made by the committee overseeing the disbursement of funds earmarked by the state government during a press conference held at the NEDC Hall, Governor’s Office, on Sunday.

The disbursement exercise for retirees who left service in 2015 is scheduled to begin on Monday, October 26, 2026.

The Executive Secretary of the Bauchi State Contributory Pension Commission, Ibrahim Inuwa, disclosed this during a briefing on the progress of the exercise, which has been ongoing for the past three weeks.

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He said ₦3.1 billion had been paid to local government retirees, while state government retirees had received ₦2.1 billion.

He added that payments were continuing and the total amount disbursed was expected to increase as the exercise progressed.

Inuwa also announced that payments to retirees who left service in 2015 would commence on Monday, urging eligible beneficiaries to obtain relevant information through pension desk officers in their respective local government areas.

Meanwhile, a committee member said the exercise was progressing smoothly despite a few challenges, including difficulties locating some retirees’ files.

He explained that the relevant executive secretaries were working to trace the missing files, noting that only a small number of beneficiaries were affected.

Another committee member, Kola Oyerinde, appealed to retirees who missed previous payment exercises for 2012, 2013 and 2014 to come forward for verification and processing.

He disclosed that, of the 583 state retirees expected for the 2014 exercise, 442 participated, while 670 of the 769 expected local government retirees turned up.

The committee assured eligible retirees that the funds allocated to them remained available, urging those who had yet to receive their benefits to complete the necessary procedures.

The 2015 disbursement exercise is expected to last seven days, with a possible extension before preparations begin for payments to retirees who left service in 2016.

A representative of organised labour commended the state government for the disbursement, expressing satisfaction with the process so far.