Abuja: The Ebonyi government has commenced the payment of gratuity backlog amounting to N10 billion to over 4,000 retired Local Government Area (LGA) employees. The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr. Uchenna Igwe, while inaugurating the payment in Abakaliki, said the move would ameliorate the suffering of the retirees.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Igwe described the gesture as a defining moment of justice and compassion, as contained in Gov. Francis Nwifuru's people's charter of needs mantra. These entitlements were not paid since the state's creation, and the commencement of its payment has restored hope and dignity for selfless service. The governor is a promise keeper who only thinks of ways to enhance the people's wellbeing, he said. The commissioner urged the beneficiaries to use the funds judiciously, especially in supporting their families and communities.
The Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Mr. Ikeuwa Omebeh, recalled that the governor inaugurated a six-member verification committee for the exercise on August 1, 2025. The committee, chaired by the wife of the state's former deputy governor, Mrs. Catherine Ogbu, was tasked with authenticating claims and determining eligibility for retirees. This covers the period of 1996 to 2025 as the exercise has been successfully completed and payments will be carried out on LGA basis. All verified retirees will be paid through their bank accounts as the gesture will, beyond welfare, inject liquidity into rural economies and stimulate small businesses, he said.
The Executive Secretary of the State Local Government Pension Board, Mr. Emeka Nwonu, assured that all verified persons would receive their entitlements. The Board collaborated with all relevant bodies concerned with the process, in realizing set goals, he said. The Chairperson of the verification exercise, Mrs. Catherine Ogbu, lauded the governor for his vision of prioritizing the welfare of retirees, noting, This is a dream delayed, but presently a reality, and promise fulfilled.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Ebonyi Council, Mr. Donatus Okemini, urged Ebonyi people to pray and support the Nwifuru-led administration as it had the people's interest at heart. Mrs. Martha Elom, one of the retirees, thanked the governor for the gesture, noting that it had added a new lease of life to her.