Borno State Governor Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum on Friday handed over cheques totalling N5.81 billion to clear outstanding gratuities for retired civil servants and families of deceased workers.
The ceremony took place at the Council Chamber of the Government House, Maiduguri, with organised labour and the Nigerian Union of Pensioners present. Zulum reminded listeners of his administration’s past moves on workers’ welfare — a monthly N200 million release for gratuities, N8 billion for pensioners’ entitlements and teachers’ gratuities in 2025, and N12 billion disbursed in 2020 to pay about 5,000 retired state and local government civil servants.
He said the first cheque, N2,992,301,964.95, will settle all gratuities owed to families of deceased civil servants to date, while the second, N2,822,528,306.99, covers gratuities for pensioners up to December 2022 and outstanding payments to Borno State Housing Corporation staff from 2013.
“In fulfillment of our campaign promises, this afternoon, as it has been said by the Honourable Commissioner of Finance, we are presenting a cheque of about N5,814,830,271.94 to deceased and retired civil servants,” Zulum said. “We have quite a number of civil servants who have lost their lives, and their families are still battling with life’s challenges. We are presenting about three billion naira to the families of deceased civil servants so they can continue to live in peace and dignity. Apart from this, civil servants who retired in 2022 will now receive their gratuities in full, after which we shall move to those who retired in 2023,”
Finance Commissioner Hon. Lawan Umar Dalorima praised Zulum’s commitment. “This is another demonstration of your compassionate and people-centered leadership, where the welfare of citizens remain a top priority despite competing priorities,”
Comrade Mamman Bukar, NLC Vice Chairman, thanked the governor, calling the payments timely and impactful. Zulum also promised to engage soon with local government workers to tackle payroll and welfare problems. Attendees included Hon. Abdulkadir Rahis, Bukar Tijani, Dr. Babagana Mustapha Mallumbe, Dr. Musa Inuwa Kubo, the Debt Management Office DG, commissioners, advisers, permanent secretaries and labour leaders.
