By Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki.
Ebonyi State government has commenced the payment of a 25-year backlog of gratuities to retired civil servants in the state.
The state retirees who received the gratuities ceased to be active in civil service between 1996 to 2021.
The Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Engr Jude Okpor made this known while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting held yesterday in Abakaliki.
According to Okpor, the State Executive Council approved the immediate commencement of payment from September 21, 2023, with a release of the sum of N3,851,763,617.65.
He disclosed that the council had earlier received a preliminary report on the matter during which the sum of about N4.3 billion was earmarked for the exercise.
The Commissioner said: "Following the actual compilation and computation by the Gratuity Committee and other relevant organs of government with actual available data, it was found out that the total of eligible beneficiaries (retirees) at present is 1,715 which amounted to the approved sum at the council deliberations."
He also disclosed that a total of 17, 834 applications were received by the State Civil Service Commission in the ongoing recruitment of 1,454 workers approved by the State Governor.
In his words, out of the 17,834 applicants who submitted employment applications, only 5,352 met the requirement of submitting Original Certificates, with their applications while the rest submitted their statements of results.
He further stated that the Council resolved to uphold the submission of Original Certificates criteria for eligibility for shortlisting with a provision that opportunities should be given to those who did not attach their certificates but can provide theirs before the screening date.
"Governor Francis Nwifuru who is the Chairman of the executive council emphasized that the recruitment should be merit-based to give all applicants equal opportunity to compete for the job.
"Council has urged the Civil Service Commission to fast-track the recruitment process to ensure that the exercise was concluded as soon as possible," the commissioner added.
