The Enugu State Government has approved about ₦32 billion to clear outstanding legacy gratuities owed to retirees, with an initial ₦10 billion tranche scheduled for disbursement from next week, according to the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia.
The Enugu State Government has approved approximately ₦32 billion to settle outstanding legacy gratuities owed to retired workers, with an initial ₦10 billion tranche scheduled for release from next week.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, disclosed this on Friday while briefing journalists at the Government House in Enugu after the State Executive Council meeting.
Onyia addressed journalists alongside the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dr Malachy Agbo; the Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Barr. Chimaobi Okorie; and the Commissioner for Human Development and Poverty Eradication, Prof. Benedett Ekwutosi Okoli.
He said the payment was part of the administration of Governor Peter Mbah’s commitment to clearing inherited gratuity liabilities before the end of the governor’s first tenure.
According to the SSG, the outstanding obligations were inherited by the present administration, which made provisions for their settlement in the 2026 budget approved by the Enugu State House of Assembly.
“This amount of money was put in the 2026 budget and approved by the Enugu State House of Assembly. So, it is in appropriation law,” he said.
Onyia stressed that the approval was not a hastily conceived decision but the outcome of a planned process to establish the state’s actual obligations to retired workers.
He explained that the government suspended the existing gratuity verification exercise in December 2025 and established a committee to review records dating back to 2000.
The exercise involved examining retirees’ records and supporting documents to determine legitimate claims and establish the amount required to settle the outstanding liabilities.
Onyia said the State Executive Council’s approval followed the verification exercise, adding that the initial ₦10 billion would commence the disbursement process, with subsequent tranches to be released until the verified liability of approximately ₦32 billion was cleared.
He said the administration intended to settle the legacy gratuities before leaving office rather than transfer the outstanding debt to the next government.
The SSG also disclosed that the government was addressing outstanding gratuity obligations at the local government level, where the liabilities were estimated at more than ₦10 billion.
According to him, Governor Mbah had approved a meeting of the Economic Council to review the local government liabilities and facilitate the commencement of payments to eligible retirees at that level.
Onyia clarified that the current exercise focused on legacy gratuities, noting that the government had already begun settling outstanding pension obligations following the verification of eligible beneficiaries.
“The gratuity owed to every retiree across the board from 2000 will be paid,” he said.
The SSG further disclosed that the verification committee, which he chaired, had reviewed the records of 66,783 persons across workforce and pension-gratuity categories.
He said the verification process was necessary to prevent fraudulent claims and ensure that public funds were paid only to legitimate beneficiaries.
However, retirees who had concerns about the outcome of the verification exercise were encouraged to submit complaints to the committee for further review.
Onyia said clearing the inherited gratuity liabilities was an important step towards preventing the continued accumulation of unpaid retirement benefits and reducing the financial burden on future administrations.
He reiterated that the Mbah administration remained committed to settling verified legacy obligations, sustaining payments to eligible pensioners and establishing a more sustainable pension system for Enugu State.
Visit GMTNewsng for more news stories.
