Author: Editor

The Enugu State Government has approved the payment of about ₦32 billion in outstanding legacy gratuities owed to retirees, with the first tranche of ₦10 billion scheduled for release from next week.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, disclosed this on Friday while briefing journalists at the Government House, Enugu, after the State Executive Council meeting.

Onyia, who briefed newsmen alongside the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dr. Malachy Agbo; Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Barr. Chimaobi Okorie; and Commissioner for for Commissioner for Human Development and Poverty Eradication, Prof. Benedett Ekwutosi Okoli, said the payment was part of the commitment of the Governor Peter Mbah Administration to clear the inherited gratuity liabilities before the end of Mbah’s first tenure.

He explained that the outstanding gratuities were liabilities inherited by the present administration, adding that the state government had made provisions for the settlement of the gratuities in the 2026 budget, which had been approved by the State House of Assembly.

“This amount of money was put in the 2026 budget and approved by the Enugu State House of Assembly. So, it is in appropriation law,” he said.

The SSG stressed that the decision was not a hastily conceived measure but part of a planned process to address the state’s outstanding obligations to retired workers.

According to him, the government suspended the existing gratuity verification process in December 2025 and established a verification committee to review records dating back to 2000.

He said the exercise was designed to establish the actual liabilities by examining retirees’ records and supporting documents, adding that the amount approved by the Executive Council was based on the outcome of the verification.

Onyia disclosed that the first ₦10 billion tranche would be released to commence payments, after which subsequent tranches would follow until the entire verified liability of approximately ₦32 billion was cleared.

He said the government intended to complete the payment of the legacy gratuities before the governor leaves office as he does not want to the debt to his successor.

The SSG added that the administration was also addressing gratuity obligations at the local government level, where the outstanding exposure was estimated at more than ₦10 billion.

He said Governor Mbah had approved a meeting of the Economic Council to review the local government liabilities to enable local government retirees to start receiving their gratuities soon, alongside their counterparts at the state level.

He clarified that the current exercise focused on legacy gratuities, noting that the government had already commenced the payment of outstanding pension obligations following the verification of eligible beneficiaries.

“The gratuity owed to every retiree across the board from 2000 will be paid,” he said.

The SSG also disclosed that the verification committee, which he chaired, had reviewed the records of 66,783 persons across the workforce and pension-gratuity categories.

He explained that the verification exercise was necessary to guard against fraudulent claims and ensure that payments were made to legitimate beneficiaries.

He, however, clarified that retirees, who had concerns with the outcome of the verifications were free to submit their complaints to the verification committee for further review.

Onyia said that clearing the inherited gratuity liabilities was an important step towards ensuring that the state did not continue to accumulate unpaid retirement benefits for future administrations.

He reiterated that the Mbah administration was committed to settling the verified legacy obligations while sustaining payments to eligible pensioners and putting in place a more sustainable pension system for the state.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Ugwuanama Farms Ltd, Alhaji Sani Friday Nnaji, has commended Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah, for creating a secure and investment-friendly environment that is accelerating agricultural transformation, boosting food production and encouraging large-scale farming across the state.

Nnaji, who gave the commendation to mark the third World Food Day celebration under the Mbah administration, attributed the growing confidence of farmers and agricultural investors in Enugu State to the governor’s deliberate policies, security interventions and commitment to modernising the agricultural sector.

He said the administration had made significant progress in repositioning Enugu among Nigeria’s leading states in agricultural transformation through strategic investments, improved access to farmland, technological innovation and policies designed to attract private-sector participation.

According to him, the transformation of previously insecurity-prone forests and hinterlands into viable agricultural production zones represents one of the administration’s most consequential achievements, particularly for farmers who depend on safe access to their farmlands.

Nnaji praised the governor’s sustained efforts to dislodge criminal elements from forests and rural communities, noting that improved security has strengthened farmers’ confidence and created opportunities for commercial agriculture to thrive.

He highlighted the deployment of Forest Guards, community policing structures, a Command-and-Control Centre, security drones, AI-enabled surveillance cameras and other modern security infrastructure as critical components of the state government’s strategy to protect lives, secure rural investments and restore confidence across farming communities.

He noted that effective security remained indispensable to agricultural development, stressing that farmers could not achieve optimal productivity if they were exposed to harassment, attacks or threats while accessing their farmlands.

The Ugwuanama Farms chief executive also applauded the administration’s land reforms and investment-friendly policies, which he said had simplified access to land and strengthened the conditions necessary for commercial farming and agricultural expansion.

“We, the farmers in Enugu State, particularly Ugwuanama Farms Ltd, are successfully operating in the state today because of the governor’s deliberate policies designed to encourage investment, especially in land tenure, which makes commercial farming possible, as well as the flexibility in accessing land and other facilities,” he said.

Nnaji further commended Governor Mbah for promoting agricultural mechanisation, innovation and technology while encouraging young people to embrace farming as a viable source of wealth creation and employment.

He cited the Smart Green Schools initiative, which integrates agricultural activities into the learning environment, as a forward-looking strategy for introducing schoolchildren to modern farming practices and developing the next generation of agricultural entrepreneurs.

According to him, the growing emphasis on agricultural production is already contributing to increased food availability and easing food prices, while strengthening the connection between security, economic prosperity and food security.

He maintained that the administration’s approach demonstrated that securing rural communities and supporting farmers were essential to achieving sustainable food production and economic growth.

Nnaji congratulated Governor Mbah, farmers, agricultural investors and other stakeholders on World Food Day, expressing optimism that the state’s agricultural sector would continue to expand under the administration’s policies.

He urged sustained collaboration between government and private investors to consolidate the gains recorded, attract further investments and position Enugu State as a major agricultural hub capable of creating jobs, improving livelihoods and contributing significantly to Nigeria’s food security.

The Honourable Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, SAN, has identified collaboration, performance assessment, peer learning and collective action on value addition as key priorities of the forthcoming African Raw Materials Summit, aimed at accelerating Africa’s industrialisation and strengthening its capacity to convert abundant resources into high-value products.

The Minister stated this during a media briefing in Abuja ahead of the two-day summit scheduled for 19–20 October 2026, with the theme, “From African Feedstock to African Factory.”

Dr. Udeh explained that the summit would convene Ministers responsible for Science, Technology and Innovation, industry and raw materials, alongside researchers, investors, development partners and industry leaders from across Africa to address shared challenges and advance practical solutions for the development of the continent’s raw materials sector.

The Minister said the summit would provide a strategic platform for collaboration and collective problem-solving, enabling stakeholders from different countries and sectors to exchange experiences, strengthen partnerships and develop coordinated responses to challenges confronting Africa’s raw materials value chain.

He also highlighted the importance of reviewing progress and assessing performance since the maiden edition of the summit. According to him, the engagement would provide an opportunity to evaluate previous outcomes, identify implementation gaps and determine practical measures to address outstanding challenges and improve results.

On peer learning and the adoption of best practices, Dr. Udeh noted that the summit would enable policymakers, chief executives and industry leaders to learn from countries that have recorded progress in developing their raw materials sectors, while encouraging knowledge sharing and the adoption of effective strategies across the continent.

The Minister further emphasised the need for collective action to promote value addition, urging African countries to move beyond exporting raw materials in their unprocessed forms to investing in local processing, manufacturing and the production of finished goods. He stressed that science, technology and innovation would be critical to retaining greater economic value within the continent and creating opportunities for investment, industrial growth and employment.

Dr. Udeh maintained that the overarching objective was to strengthen Africa’s capacity to transform its natural and agricultural resources into higher-value products and services, thereby advancing industrialisation, promoting sustainable economic growth and unlocking the continent’s economic potential.

He expressed optimism that the summit would translate discussions into practical outcomes, strengthen cooperation among participating countries and promote deliberate action towards building a competitive, innovation-driven African industrial economy.

The African Raw Materials Summit is expected to bring together key government officials, researchers, investors, development partners and private-sector stakeholders to deliberate on strategies for harnessing Africa’s raw materials through science, technology, innovation and value addition.