Ebonyi People Grateful To Governor Nwifuru For Tackling Decades-Long Gratuity Backlog — ALGON Chairman
The Ebonyi State Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) and Executive Chairman of Izzi Local Government Area, Hon. Mrs. Helen Nnenna Aduga, has commended the administration of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru for its sustained efforts to clear the backlog of gratuities owed to retirees across Ebonyi State.
Aduga described the governor’s intervention as a significant demonstration of courage, compassion and commitment to the welfare of workers and retirees, noting that the gratuity obligations had accumulated over several decades and across successive administrations.
According to her, the payment of the long-outstanding entitlements has not only brought relief to thousands of retirees and their families but has also renewed confidence in the dignity of labour and strengthened the relationship between government and the people.
The state government, under Governor Nwifuru, has embarked on successive gratuity-clearance exercises, including the settlement of entitlements owed to retirees dating as far back as 1996. The initiative was also extended to retirees from the local government system, with outstanding arrears from previous years being addressed.
The development has been widely regarded as a major step towards resolving long-standing financial obligations to pensioners and retirees who had waited for years to receive benefits accrued from their years of service to the state and local government system.
Hon. Aduga noted that addressing such a prolonged backlog requires political will, responsible leadership and a genuine commitment to putting the welfare of citizens first.
She emphasized that Governor Nwifuru’s approach to governance has demonstrated that effective leadership is not merely about policies and programmes, but also about responding to the needs of citizens and correcting challenges inherited from previous administrations.
She further maintained that Ebonyi people would remain grateful to the governor for courageously confronting the decades-old gratuity burden and taking concrete steps to ensure that retirees receive what is legitimately due to them.
The ALGON Chairman described the development as a reflection of the governor’s people-oriented leadership style, adding that the welfare of workers, retirees and vulnerable citizens remains an important component of meaningful governance.
As Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru continues to pursue his administration’s development agenda, the clearance of long-standing gratuity obligations stands as one of the interventions that has brought renewed hope to retirees and their families across Ebonyi State.
By Kingsley Ogbonna Nweda
Director, Media and Documentation, Office of the Ebonyi State ALGON Chairman, and Chairman of Izzi Local Government Area.
