Enugu state Government has approved the setting aside of the sum of N100 million every month for the gradual payment of gratuities to state’s retired civil servants, totaling N1.2 billion a year.

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi

The decision was part of the outcome of the meeting between the Enugu State Executive Council (EXCO) and the leadership of the Organized Labour in the state.

Briefing newsmen at the Government House, Enugu shortly after the meeting, the State Chairmen of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Nigerian Labour Congress, Comrade Igbokwe Chukwuma Igbokwe and Comrade Virginus Nwobodo, respectively, also stated that the council approved for them the payment of non-remitted National Housing Funds deductions made from workers’ salaries between year 2000 and 2004, which amounted to N82, 714, 506.00. They added that it was agreed that the payment would be made in three equal instalments within eight months, while the payment of gratuities takes effect from May, 2018.

According to them, “within 2000 and 2004 deductions were made from workers’ salaries as National Housing Funds but were not remitted to the Federal Mortgage Bank and now workers are retiring every day and they need their refund.

“So we appealed to Gov. Ugwuanyi, a true labour-friendly governor, for intervention. Although the deductions were done by the two previous regimes, the governor said we should come and when we came today, the council approved the payment of N82.7 million to be paid in three equal instalments within eight months”.

The leaders of Organized Labour, who expressed gratitude to Governor Ugwuanyi and other members of the EXCO for the “rare gesture and considerations”, also disclosed that the Biometric Capturing of 80 workers of the Enugu State Waste Management Authority (ESWAMA) absorbed into the State Civil Service was equally approved with effect from May this year.