Anambra Spends N10 bn On Pensions, Gratuities

Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State has said that the state government spent about N10 billion on the payment of arrears of pensions and gratuities to retired civil servants in the last five years.

Sources said that Obi met some arrears of pensions and gratuities when he assumed office in 2006.

Obi disclosed this while speaking on efforts of his government to alleviate poverty and touch the lives of residents in the state.

“Today, it takes two months after retirements for civil servants to be paid their gratuities’’, the governor said.

On attracting foreign investors, he said that more companies were springing-up in the state with investment worth over N20 billion, excluding the SAB Miller’s investment of 100 million dollars in the Greenfield Breweries Complex.

“And more companies had signified interest in the state, while the government is in the fore-front of providing infrastructure, power and tax-cuts for these companies and industries to boost their businesses,’’ he said.

On the on-going strike by civil servants in the state, Obi insisted on implementing the “no work, no pay” law.

He said that he would implement the law to the letter, especially when there was no rationale for civil servants to go on strike even when he was paying the minimum wage more than what some other states.

Obi also assured that the state would embark on mass road projects once the rains were over.