Key points
- Plateau State Government has spent over N16 billion on pensions and gratuities in three years.
- Governor Caleb Mutfwang said the payments are part of efforts to clear long-standing arrears dating back to previous administrations.
- The state requires approximately N60 billion to fully settle its outstanding liabilities to retirees.
- The current disbursements cover pension obligations spanning from the tenure of former Governor Joshua Dariye to date.
- Governor Mutfwang announced these fiscal updates during a special thanksgiving service held in Jos.
Main Story
Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has said the government has spent more than N16 billion on pensions and gratuities for retirees within the last three years.
The governor disclosed this during a special thanksgiving service held on Sunday in Jos to mark three years of his administration. He explained that his administration remained committed to addressing long-standing pension arrears inherited from previous governments, noting that the payments covered obligations dating back to the administration of former Governor Joshua Dariye.
He added that the state was gradually working through outstanding liabilities to retirees across different administrations to systematically clear the backlogs.
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Governor Mutfwang stated that based on current estimates, about N60 billion would still be required to fully clear all outstanding pension and gratuity obligations in the state.
He noted that his administration’s goal was to restore dignity to retirees and ensure they received their entitlements. In his closing remarks, he thanked residents for their continuous support and called for unity across the state, urging citizens to work together in support of ongoing reforms.
The Issues
- Securing an additional N60 billion to completely liquidate inherited pension and gratuity liabilities.
- Resolving systemic backlogs of unpaid retirement benefits accumulated across multiple historical state administrations.
- Balancing heavy debt service obligations for retirees with broader ongoing state reforms and developmental programs.
What’s Being Said
- Disclosing the exact cumulative expenditure deployed by the executive team to handle retirement welfare since assuming office, Governor Caleb Mutfwang stated: “Between May 2023 when we took over the government and April 2026, we have spent N16 billion on pension and gratuity,”
- Detailing the long-term historical scope of the financial backlogs being addressed by the treasury, Mutfwang noted: “We are gradually clearing the arrears of pension and gratuity right from the administration of Joshua Dariye till date,”
- Outlining his primary governance motivation regarding the socio-economic welfare of senior citizens within the state, he added: “My desire is to put a smile on the faces of all Plateau citizens and by God’s grace we will do that,”
What’s Next
- State finance officials will look to structure additional funding mechanisms to address the remaining N60 billion pension deficit.
- The administration will continue its gradual, phased payments to retirees whose entitlements span previous political dispensations.
- Public institutions will advance broader governance and fiscal reforms under the governor’s unified call for state solidarity.
Bottom Line
Plateau State has disbursed over N16 billion between May 2023 and April 2026 to clear historical pension backlogs stretching back to the Joshua Dariye era, though Governor Caleb Mutfwang warns that an additional N60 billion is still critically required to fully wipe out the state’s retirement liabilities.
