Gombe: Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State has announced that the state is reaping the benefits of the Federal Government’s decision to remove the fuel subsidy. This statement was made during an event in Gombe where cheques and payments for the backlog of gratuities were presented to retirees from state and local government sectors.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the governor emphasized that the removal of the fuel subsidy was a crucial reform aimed at preventing the country from economic collapse, as there were no viable alternatives. He highlighted that this policy change has led to a significant increase in federal allocations to the states, allowing for the execution of more impactful projects within Gombe State.
Governor Yahaya pointed out that the reforms introduced by the Bola Tinubu administration are pivotal for steering the country towards sustainable growth. He noted, “We are able to do more developmental projects in the state because of the increased allocations as a result of subsidy removal. All these improvements would have been difficult to achieve without these funds. The reforms are necessary though painful, but when things are fixed properly, the benefits would be worth it.”
Regarding pension benefits, Yahaya announced that the government is set to disburse N8.2 billion in gratuity arrears to retirees. This sum includes N6.6 billion for 2,142 state government retirees and N1.6 billion for 1,062 retirees from local government areas, covering a total of 3,204 retirees. The payments for state government retirees will cater to the years 2021, 2022, and 2023, while local government retirees will receive payments for a year, depending on their respective local government areas.
Governor Yahaya further stated, “With today’s disbursement, our cumulative gratuity payment has reached a historic N33.826 billion since 2019. I make bold to say that in the entire history of Gombe State, no administration has demonstrated a comparable commitment to the welfare of our retirees who have served our state with hard work and dedication.”