Zamfara govt clears N13.6b unpaid gratuities

The Zamfara State Government has cleared N13.6 billion in unpaid gratuities owed to retired civil servants dating back to 2011. Governor Dauda Lawal made the announcement on Tuesday while inaugurating the Contributory Pension Implementation Committee, following the presentation of a comprehensive report on the payment of outstanding benefits. In a statement issued by his spokesperson, […]

The Zamfara State Government has cleared N13.6 billion in unpaid gratuities owed to retired civil servants dating back to 2011.

Governor Dauda Lawal made the announcement on Tuesday while inaugurating the Contributory Pension Implementation Committee, following the presentation of a comprehensive report on the payment of outstanding benefits.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Sulaiman Idris, Governor Lawal described the clearance of the gratuity backlog as a major milestone of his two-year-old administration.

According to the report, a total of 8,657 retirees benefited from the payment—3,824 retired state civil servants received N7.9 billion, while 4,833 retirees from the Unified Local Government Service were paid N5.9 billion.

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Governor Lawal lamented the hardship endured by retirees over the years, stating that many died waiting for their entitlements.

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

“The delays inflicted untold hardship, and unfortunately, some pensioners passed away without receiving their dues. May their souls rest in peace.” he said

To address the backlog, he said, the government set up two committees to review and recommend payments.

“Despite the economic and social challenges we met on assumption of office, we prioritized clearing three months of unpaid salaries and allowances.

“ We also settled long-standing entitlements for judges and judiciary staff,” he added.

The governor highlighted sweeping reforms in civil service welfare under his administration. Among them was the implementation of the N30,000 national minimum wage, which had been ignored by previous administrations. He noted that when he assumed office, the minimum wage in Zamfara was just N7,000.

 

“In July 2024, we reviewed and implemented the new national minimum wage of N70,000,” he stated. “This means that within two years, we increased the minimum wage in Zamfara from N7,000 to N70,000.”

 

Other measures introduced include Sallah bonuses and an end-of-year productivity bonus—also referred to as the 13th-month salary—for all civil and public servants as well as political office holders. “These are unprecedented steps in Zamfara’s history,” Governor Lawal said, adding that they have helped restore confidence among public workers and renewed trust in government.

 

The governor said the state is ready to partner with licensed pension fund administrators in line with ongoing pension reforms.

 

As part of these reforms, he inaugurated the Contributory Pension Implementation Committee tasked with overseeing the transition to a new pension structure.

 

The new committee will work closely with the Ministry of Justice, the Zamfara State Pension Commission, and other stakeholders to review and update the state’s pension law for legislative approval. It will also collaborate with the Zamfara Information Technology Development Agency (ZITDA) to assess digital infrastructure and staff training needs.

 

Furthermore, the committee will develop a transition strategy for migrating from the current pension scheme to a contributory one.

 

The strategy will include a detailed implementation roadmap to ensure full compliance and a smooth rollout of the new system.

 

Governor Lawal commended the initial review committee for its dedication, acknowledging the challenges they faced during the verification and payment process.

 

“Your efforts have paved the way for meaningful reform in Zamfara’s pension administration,” he said.