By Olukayode Michael
Yobe State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam has approved N302.3 million for the payment of liabilities for local government staff.
Those to benefit include a total of 316 local government staff comprising 256 retirees and the next-of-kin of 58 deceased workers.
According to the approval, the sum of N247.8 million will be paid to the 256 retirees while N54.6 million will be paid to the next-of-kin of the 58 deceased staff.
A statement by Abdullahi Bego Director-General for Press Affairs to the governor said: “So far, payments have been achieved for 2017 and 2018 in respect of retirees for 13 out of the 17 local government areas. Work is currently underway to attend to the liabilities of retirees for the remaining four local government areas, namely Fune, Nguru, Bade and Potiskum.”
Bego said: “Consequently, His Excellency the governor has approved an increase in the contributions that the four affected local government councils make monthly to their pension account to the sum of N20 million each to enable the committee on payment of liabilities to clear their backlog of liabilities.”
He said: “Approval has also been granted for an increase in the monthly contributions of the 13 local governments that were able to cover their liabilities for 2017 and 2018 to the sum of N15 million each monthly.”