Governor: Zamfara owing retirees N13.6bn

Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, says the state is owing N13.6 billion from 2015 to date as gratuities and pensions to retirees in the state.

Lawal disclosed this during a meeting with the Association of Retired Permanent Secretaries of Nigeria, Zamfara State Chapter, at the Government House in Gusau, the state capital, on Wednesday.

The governor, who said the state has a huge backlog of gratuities and pensions to the tune of N13.6 billion to settle retired civil servants, promised to start the payment of outstanding towards ensuring the welfare of the retired civil servants in the state.

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He stated that on assumption of office, his administration introduced measures in order to reduce the cost of governance by trimming the number of ministries and commissioners to eighteen.

Governor Lawal added that he constituted a committee with the mandate to conduct a staff’s verification of all the ministries to ascertain the exact number for improved welfare and maximum productivity.

Speaking, the Chairman of the Association of Retired Permanent Secretaries of Nigeria, represented by his vice, Muhammad Bello, commended Governor Lawal’s administration for blocking revenue leakages, ensuring prudent management of resources, repositioning the education sector, and payment of examination fees for students, among others in Zamfara State.

Idris Salisu

The Star