The families of Plateau civil servants who died in active service have appealed to Governor Simon Lalong to pay the death benefits of their loved ones before the expiration of his tenure on May 29.

Bryan Luka, the representative of the affected families, appealed in an interview on Wednesday in Jos, the state capital.

Mr Luka, who expressed sadness that the state government had failed to heed their pleas for the entitlements, decried that some of the deceased relatives were owed for more than 18 years.

He added that the current economic hardship in the country had compounded their problems, a situation he said led to the death of some of the relatives.

“With a deep sense of respect, widows and orphans of deceased civil servants on the Plateau are suffering silently and dying in these hard times.

“Some of us have lost both parents, while some have been waiting for these benefits for over 18 years, so we call on the governor to come to our aid,” he said.

The leader called on the members of the state assembly and representatives of the state in the National Assembly, religious and traditional leaders and labour unions to intervene and push the government to heed their plea.

The group had, in September 2022, called on the state government through a media publication to pay the benefits.

Also, in October 2022, the group organised a special prayer session towards the same goal.

But Sunday Hyat, the Head of Civil Service (HoS) in the state, had then pleaded with the beneficiaries to exercise patience as the government was doing everything possible to clear the backlog of the entitlements.

Mr Hyat explained that the current administration in the state inherited N18 billion as a backlog of pension, gratuities and death benefits of retired and deceased civil servants in the state.

The HoS, however, promised that Mr Lalong’s administration would clear all outstanding benefits before the expiration of its tenure. 

(NAN)