Kwara spends N20b on pensions, gratuities in two years

Kwara State Government has spent close to N20 billion on payment of pension and gratuities in the last two years. The Special Adviser on Strategy to Gov. AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq, Sa’adu Salahu, disclosed this on Sunday during an award programme organised by ‘ Friends of AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq’ in Ilorin, the state capital.
   
Salahu told the gathering that the state government had expended about N16 billion on payment of pensions and close to N3 billion on the payment of gratuities to retirees at state and local government levels.
    
He added that this is in addition to the regular payment of full salaries to all categories of workers in the state and local government councils, a marked departure from the past when workers received part salaries.

The Special Adviser said that the payment of counter-fund to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has earned the state the sum of N14 billion to fix infrastructure at the basic education level across the state.
    
He also disclosed that the state government had engaged 4,701 teachers while fresh recruitments were ongoing at the state’s civil service and Kwara Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS).