Enugu governor pays 26 year pension arrears to retirees

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, Nigeria, began paying gratuity arrears to retirees that date back to the year 2000 and the military era.

The state government is addressing debts accumulated by previous administrations to clear the backlog for long-serving workers. Ikechukwu Ekere, the chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners in Enugu State, confirmed that members started receiving payment alerts. The state government approved 32 billion Naira to cover these old debts after several layers of verification.

Governor Mbah released an initial 10 billion Naira and pledged to continue payments until all liabilities are cleared. Retirees described the payments as a restoration of hope after decades of waiting. Some beneficiaries, such as Paul Ozoeze, who retired in 2010, noted they endured nearly 20 years of hardship before receiving the funds.

Others, like Luke Obi Ezea, who served for 35 years before retiring in 2014, stated they had previously resigned themselves to never receiving the money from past leaders. The government also implemented changes to the local government pension system. Kenneth Ugwueze, a representative for local government staff pensions, stated that retired primary school teachers and local government workers no longer have to wait two years to receive their pensions.

Following a verification exercise in July 2024, the administration ensures these workers receive their payments on time.