The Ebonyi State Government under the leadership of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru has moved beyond clearing outstanding gratuity arrears to establishing a sustainable system designed to prevent the accumulation of new backlogs.
The administration recently cleared long-standing gratuity obligations owed to retired civil servants, including some arrears dating back to 1996, providing relief to retirees who had waited for years to receive their entitlements.
As part of efforts to sustain the development, the state government has instituted a policy requiring civil servants approaching retirement to give at least three months’ notice ahead of their retirement date.
The policy enables retiring officers to complete the necessary documentation and administrative processes while still in service or during their leave period, allowing their gratuity to be processed ahead of their retirement.
Under the system, the objective is to ensure that a retiring civil servant receives their full gratuity on the very day of retirement, thereby eliminating unnecessary delays and preventing the emergence of fresh arrears.
The Office of the Head of Service continues to enforce the policy as part of the state’s broader efforts to institutionalise timely payment of retirement benefits and safeguard the welfare and dignity of civil servants.
The development is in line with the administration’s People’s Charter of Needs, which places the welfare of workers and retirees among its priorities.
