Kano Govt Clears ₦32bn Gratuity Backlog, Boosts Workers’ Welfare — Head of Service

The Kano State Government says it has placed workers’ welfare and public service reforms at the forefront of governance, leading to significant improvements in the lives of civil servants, pensioners and job seekers across the state.

The Head of Civil Service, Bilkisu Shehu Mai Mota, disclosed this while highlighting the achievements of the administration of Abba Kabir Yusuf in the public service sector over the past three years.

She stated that one of the administration’s major accomplishments has been addressing the long-standing challenge of unpaid gratuities and death benefits inherited from previous administrations. According to her, the government inherited a backlog of ₦48 billion and has so far paid ₦32 billion, providing relief to thousands of beneficiaries.

Mai Mota said the government has also maintained the regular payment of salaries and demonstrated its commitment to workers’ welfare through the implementation of the ₦71,000 minimum wage, making Kano one of the leading states to adopt the new salary structure.

She noted that pensioners have equally benefited from the administration’s welfare policies, particularly the upward review of the minimum pension from ₦5,000 to ₦20,000, a move she said has significantly improved the living conditions of retired public servants.

The Head of Service explained that the government has complemented its welfare programmes with investments in capacity building, exposing civil servants to modern training in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Artificial Intelligence and public sector administration to enhance efficiency and prepare workers for emerging governance challenges.

According to her, the reintroduction of leadership workshops at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria and the continuation of pre-retirement training programmes have strengthened professionalism within the civil service while preparing officers for productive retirement.

Mai Mota further revealed that the Yusuf administration has embarked on large-scale recruitment across key sectors, including education, healthcare, agriculture, justice and security, with the aim of improving service delivery and addressing manpower shortages.

She said the education sector alone has witnessed the recruitment of thousands of teachers in the last three years, while approvals have also been granted for the engagement of additional teachers and support staff to improve learning outcomes and enhance security in schools.

The Head of Service added that the administration has regularised the appointments of long-serving casual workers and converted 9,949 BESDA teachers to permanent and pensionable status, thereby providing greater job security and career progression opportunities.

She maintained that the government’s investments in workers’ welfare, pension reforms, employment generation, labour relations and institutional development have restored confidence in the state civil service.

Mai Mota also cited the provision of Sallah welfare packages for workers, support for labour unions and the hosting of the 47th National Council on Establishment as evidence of the administration’s commitment to building a productive and people-centred civil service in Kano State.