Nwifuru Ends 30-Year Wait, Flags Off N10bn Gratuity Payment to Retired LG Workers
By Ewa Ugonma
The Ebonyi State Government has launched the payment of N10 billion gratuities to more than 4,000 retired local government workers, fulfilling a major campaign promise by Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru and ending nearly three decades of unpaid entitlements.
The official flag-off, held on Monday at the Old Government House, Abakaliki, was conducted by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Chief Uchenna Stephen Igwe, who represented the governor.
Chief Igwe described the exercise as a landmark achievement under the People’s Charter of Needs, noting that Governor Nwifuru’s administration is committed to fairness, transparency, and compassion in public service management.
“For almost 30 years, these gratuities were left unattended to. Today, His Excellency has turned compassion into policy and words into action. This is a new chapter of justice and good governance in Ebonyi,” Igwe stated.
He urged the beneficiaries to invest the money wisely to improve their lives and those of their dependents.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Barr. Ikeuwa Omebeh, recalled that on August 1, 2025, Governor Nwifuru inaugurated a six-member verification committee headed by Mrs. Catherine Ogbu. The committee, he explained, was tasked with verifying claims of retirees from 1996 to 2025 to ensure accurate and transparent disbursement.
Omebeh announced that the verification exercise had been concluded successfully and that payments would proceed in batches, local government by local government, up to November when Onicha LGA would round off the process.
“All verified retirees will receive their payments directly into their bank accounts. Beyond meeting moral obligations, this move will stimulate local economies and boost confidence in government institutions,” Omebeh added.
The Executive Secretary of the State Local Government Pension Board, Mr. Emeka Nwonu, and the verification committee chairperson, Mrs. Catherine Ogbu, commended the governor’s commitment to workers’ welfare and transparency in governance.
“This payment is a long-awaited breakthrough a debt of honour finally paid,” Mrs. Ogbu said.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Ebonyi State Council, High Chief Donatus Okemini, thanked the governor for keeping faith with the people.
“We have suffered neglect for years, but today, Governor Nwifuru has restored our pride. He has wiped away the tears of pensioners in Ebonyi,” Okemini said with emotion.
Many observers and stakeholders have hailed the initiative as a bold and compassionate step that sets Ebonyi apart as a state where leadership is people-centred and promises are fulfilled.
