Gov Lawal clears N13.6bn gratuity debt owed Zamfara retirees since 2011

Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, says he has paid a total of N13,944,039,204.64 gratuities owed to Zamfara pensioners from 2011 to 2023.

He spoke on Tuesday at the Government House when he received a report of the joint committees on payment of the backlog of gratuities.

He also inaugurated the Contributory Pension Implementation Committee.

A statement by the Governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, described clearing the backlog of unpaid gratuities and pensions accumulated from 2011 to 2023 as one of the key achievements of the Lawal administration.

According to the statement, 3,824 beneficiaries from the state Service received N7,960,162,598.64, while 4,833 from the Unified Local Government Service were verified and paid N5,983,876,606 in backlog gratuities.

“In total, N13,944,039,204.64 was distributed as inherited gratuities,” adding that, “Governor Lawal said that his government prioritized settling the rights and benefits of civil servants, especially those who had retired after 35 years of service and reached the age of 60.

“Our administration inherited over N13 billion in unpaid gratuities for state and Local Government retirees from 2011 to 2023.

“The delays caused hardship and some retirees died waiting for their benefits. May their souls rest in peace.
“To address this injustice, we formed two committees to review and recommend payment of all outstanding gratuities for state and Local Government retirees. “When we assumed office two years ago, despite economic and social challenges, we paid three months’ unpaid salaries and allowances to civil and public servants.

“We also settled unpaid allowances for Judges and Judiciary staff for years.

“We are now up to date on all these. When we came in, the minimum wage in the state was only N7,000.00. The N30,000 minimum wage which was passed into law in 2019 was never implemented by the previous government.

“Cognizant of our responsibility and duty to the state, we implemented the N30,000.00 minimum wage.
“Upon reviewing the minimum wage which increased from N30,000 to N70,000.00 in July 2024, we implemented the review after all due processes. “Effectively, during my two years of administration, we increased the minimum wage in the state from N7,000.00 to N70,000.00.

“Furthermore, we introduced and implemented Sallah bonuses and an end-of-year productivity bonus, also known as the 13th month salary, for all civil and public servants and public office holders. This had never been done in the state’s history.

“The backlog of gratuity payments has boosted public servants’ confidence and restored public trust in governance.

“We will continue to ensure prompt retirement benefits. To do so, the state government is ready to partner with regulated pension fund organizations aligned with our new reforms.

“As I receive this report, I wish to acknowledge and commend the effort and commitment of the committee members. This was not an easy task. I am aware of the challenges faced by the members during the exercise and applaud their tenacity and determination.”

While inaugurating the Contributory Pension Implementation Committee, the Governor reiterated that his administration will ensure reforms in the pension administration of state and Local Governments.

“My administration has constituted a committee to review the previous activities of pension administration in the state. The committee has completed its assignment and made recommendations on the way forward.

“Part of the recommendations was to constitute the Contributory Pension Implementation Committee, which will, among other things, liaise with the Ministry of Justice, the State Pension Commission, and all relevant stakeholders to review and update the Zamfara State Pension Law for passage by the State House of Assembly as soon as possible.

“The committee will also liaise with ZITDA to assess the ICT needs and staff training requirements of the Commission for immediate implementation and to produce a suitable transition strategy, period and cutover date from the present pension scheme to a Contributory Pension Scheme.

“This should include step-by-step implementation strategies to ensure strict compliance among all stakeholders, facilitating a successful rollout of the new scheme,” the Governor said.