Abia Govt Begins Next Batch of Gratuity Payments, Targets 2011–2025 Beneficiaries

…Debunks 2031 Payment Deadline

Abia State Gvernment says it has commenced preparations for the payment of gratuities owed retirees from 2011 to 2025, having settled the first batch covering beneficiaries between 2001 and 2010.

The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.

Prince Kanu who said the next batch would be paid after the completion of the ongoing internal verification and other processes, dismissed claims that the payment of gratuities would be suspended until 2031.

The commissioner explained that the present administration’s decision to make gratuity provisions part of its annual budgets from 2026 to 2030 was aimed at preventing the accumulation of arrears in the future.

“The idea of including that provision in the budget is to ensure that going forward there won’t be any such arrears.

 “That does not translate to the payments being terminated in 2031,” he said.

According to Prince Kanu, the payments would continue in batches because of the huge financial commitment involved, stressing that the government remains committed to clearing the outstanding liabilities.

On the controversy over tax rates in the state, the commissioner said there has been no fresh increase by the Abia State Board of Internal Revenue (BIR), noting that most of the rates in circulation were introduced by the previous administration in 2020.

Prince Kanu said the Board cannot unilaterally increase tax rates without the backing of enabling legislation and described reports of new tax increases as misinformation.

He also dismissed claims that akara sellers were being made to pay ₦50,000 in taxes, explaining that petty traders such as akara sellers paid daily tolls and not taxes or levies of such magnitude.

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