The Ebonyi State Government has begun the payment of N10 billion gratuities to over 4,000 retired local government workers, marking the end of nearly three decades of unpaid entitlements and fulfilling a major campaign pledge by Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru.
The flag-off ceremony, held on Monday at the Old Government House, Abakaliki, was performed by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Chief Uchenna Stephen Igwe, on behalf of the governor.
Describing the exercise as a historic milestone under the administration’s People’s Charter of Needs, Nwifuru said the gesture was part of his government’s resolve to reward honesty and restore dignity to those who dedicated their careers to public service.
“For almost 30 years, these gratuities remained unsettled. His Excellency has turned words into action. This is governance built on compassion, integrity, and justice,” Igwe said.
He commended retirees for their patience and urged them to make prudent use of the payments for their welfare and families.
The Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Barr. Ikeuwa Omebeh, recalled that the governor had on August 1, 2025, inaugurated a six-member verification committee headed by Mrs. Catherine Ogbu to authenticate claims and determine eligibility for retirees spanning 1996 to 2025.
Omebeh explained that the committee had completed its verification exercise and that payments would be made LGA by LGA until November, when the final batch from Onicha Local Government Area would be concluded.
“Every verified retiree will receive their gratuity directly into their bank account. Beyond improving retirees’ welfare, this initiative will inject fresh funds into rural economies and strengthen local commerce,” he said.
The ALGON Chairman in the state, Prince Chinedu Uburu, the Executive Secretary of the State Local Government Pension Board, Mr. Emeka Nwonu, and the verification committee chairperson, Mrs. Catherine Ogbu, commended Governor Nwifuru’s commitment to workers’ welfare, describing the payment as “a dream long deferred but now fulfilled.”
According to them, the N10 billion scheme covers both living and deceased retirees whose documentation had been duly verified.
Reacting on behalf of the beneficiaries, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Ebonyi State Council, High Chief Donatus Okemini, Ama Emma Orji and many others expressed gratitude to the governor for ending years of frustration and uncertainty.
"Governor Nwifuru has wiped away our tears. For the first time in many years, pensioners in Ebonyi can smile again,” Okemini said.
Observers said the initiative has positioned Ebonyi as a model in retiree welfare and fiscal responsibility, underscoring Nwifuru’s commitment to inclusive governance and human-centred development.
