Sokoto government settles N3.8bn retirement benefits

The Sokoto State government has settled the arrears of gratuities of 1,901 retired civil servants amounting to N2.6 billion the Head of Service, Buhari Bello Kware has said.

He made the revelation while briefing newsmen on the achievements of Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal in his two years in office said that the payment covered live, death, contract gratuity and pensions arrears that accumulated from November 2011 to August 2015.

He also said that another payment of the retirement benefits of 567 retirees amounting to N1.2 billion was settled in February this year.Kware however, said that the benefits of those who left the service from May 2016 to December 2016 would be settled as soon as their verification was completed.

He pointed out that timely and prompt payment of salaries and allowances of over 28,000 civil servants in spite daunting financial challenges and meeting all financial obligations concerning civil servants’ benefits and welfare were commendable achievements.

He said that the recruitment of 500 indigenes of the state under its teachers’ service board and 1,150 other recruitments were also carried out in the various ministries from June 2015 to date including 342 replacements and 25 transfers.

Kware added that furnishing of offices of commissioners, permanent secretaries and directors-general gulped N79 million while N69 million was spent on the procurement and installment of two 500KVA generators for Usman Fauk and Shehu Kangiwa secretariats.