…Gratuity Payments Rise To ₦97.038bn
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has approved the release of ₦3.909 billion for the payment of the 2026 Leave Grants to civil servants in the state.
The approval, amounting to ₦3,909,182,952.65, is part of the administration’s sustained efforts to improve workers’ welfare and enhance conditions of service under the ARISE Agenda.
The State Government said the 2026 Leave Grants would be paid in three tranches, beginning in September, with subsequent payments scheduled for October and November.
According to the government, the phased payment is intended to provide financial relief to civil servants while ensuring an orderly disbursement of the approved funds.
In a related development, the state government has also made further payments towards outstanding gratuities owed by the government.
With the latest payments, the total amount disbursed by the administration for gratuities has risen to ₦97,037,963,737.16, out of the ₦111 billion gratuity backlog inherited by the Governor Eno administration.
The government said the continued settlement of the backlog demonstrates its commitment to improving the welfare of workers and pensioners while progressively clearing legitimate financial obligations inherited by the administration.
The latest interventions, it added, underscore the administration’s focus on workers’ welfare and the strengthening of critical sectors of the state in line with the people-centred philosophy of the ARISE Agenda.
The government further assured workers, pensioners and the people of Akwa Ibom that it would continue to implement policies and programmes aimed at improving the working environment, strengthening public institutions and enhancing the wellbeing of citizens.
By Edet Isong, Newsday.