Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano said about N6 billion had been set aside to pay gratuities to about 5,500 retired civil servants in the state.

The governor disclosed this while speaking with journalists on Saturday in Kano.

Recall that the governor, on assumption of office, expressed displeasure over the backlog of unpaid gratuities by the immediate past administration, amounting to over N40 billion.

The governor promised to clear the backlog within two years in office.

Governor Yusuf said the decision was reached at the weekly Executive Council meeting on Wednesday.

According to him, the beneficiaries of the gratuities would be retirees of lower grade level from N1 million downwards, stressing that the money to be paid was not borrowed from anywhere.

The governor said he had utmost concern about the plight of retired civil servants who finished serving their state but the immediate past government refused to pay their entitlements.

“We have the lists of the beneficiaries and the  money at hand by next week we will commence the payment without delay.

“I always sleep and wake up with the issue of gratuities of retired civil servants in my mind. I always think on how to settle and clear this backlog.

“I frequently summon meetings with Accountant General, Chairman Pension Trust fund and others to assist me on the way forward.

“It is in the course of this meeting we decided to start paying those of low grade level, whose amounts have not exceeded N1 million or little above N1 million down to like N150,000, or N250,000.

“I asked them to compile the list and we have got the names of over 5,500 of them.

“By next week, they will receive their gratuities in sha Allah. The total amount as we calculated is about N6 billion and it has since been approved by the State  Executive Council.

“Let me also tell you that we have the money at hand. We have not borrowed a dime to pay this gratuity,” he said.

Mr Yusuf restated commitment to serving Kano people, calling on the populace to give maximum cooperation to his administration for the overall development of the state.

“We are in the system to bring about positive change through good democratic governance that would meet the expectations of our people irrespective of political party affiliations,” he said.

(NAN)