Akwa Ibom Spends Over ₦90bn on Gratuities, Recruits 7,069 Personnel Under Governor Eno, Says Head of Service

The Akwa Ibom State Government has announced a monumental milestone in public sector administration, revealing that it has cleared over ₦90 billion in legacy gratuity and pension liabilities inherited by the current administration.

The disclosure was made by the Head of the State Civil Service, Mrs. Elsie Peter, during a media briefing in Uyo outlining key achievements in workers’ welfare, employment, and institutional development.

According to Mrs. Peter, out of an enormous inherited backlog exceeding ₦111 billion owed to retired public servants, the administration under Governor Umo Eno has systematically defrayed over ₦90 billion. She noted that the deliberate release of funds is aimed at bringing financial relief and dignity to senior citizens who dedicated decades of active service to the state, with a firm roadmap in place to progressively liquidate the remaining balance.

In tandem with clearing old debts, the state government has aggressively injected fresh manpower into the public service. Mrs. Peter confirmed that 7,069 personnel have been successfully recruited across critical sectors, including education (spanning primary school teaching cadres), healthcare services, legal establishments, and judicial offices.

The administration’s workers-first policy has also manifested through other sweeping benefits, including the implementation of the ₦80,000 minimum wage, structured pension increases for various retiree brackets, and the institutionalization of the 13th-month salary package popularly known as “Eno-Mber” to cushion festive periods for public servants.

The Head of Service urged civil servants to reciprocate the government’s sustained investments in human capital, infrastructure, and welfare by maintaining high standards of professionalism, integrity, and efficiency in service delivery to the people of Akwa Ibom State.