The move comes barely one week after the administration of Governor Aminu Tambuwal released the sum of N1.2bn for that purpose.
Under the first phase of the exercise, outstanding gratuities of local government officers, who retired between 2010 and 2013 and that of Local Education Authority officers that retired between 2007 and 2015, were paid.
Commissioner for Local Government Affairs in the state, Manir Dan Iya, said, “It is noteworthy that till date, Sokoto State has no outstanding salaries to any single staff. For all outstanding gratuities, the governor has graciously released the sum of N1.2bn, the payment of which has commenced.
“We are doing this in phases and the first phase for retired local government staff had begun with those affected between 2010 and 2013.”
President of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees in Sokoto, Comrade Shehu Haliru, commended the state government for considering the plight of the retired workers as well as the centralisation of salaries at the Ministry for Local Government Affairs.
He said, “The development is worthy of commendation. First, the state government considered centralisation of salaries of local government workers at the Ministry. That got rid of any diversion of workers’ salaries by any council official.
“The payment of long outstanding gratuities for local government workers is another feat achieved by the state government. Their plights have been looked into and this is praiseworthy. It is in addition to the fact that Sokoto State Government does not delay in the payment of salaries.”
