Akwa Ibom Gov Pays Over ₦90bn in Inherited Gratuity Debt

(Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno. Photo Credit: Akwa Ibom State Government House)

Akwa Ibom State Government has paid over 90 billion naira out of 111 billion naira in gratuity debts inherited from previous administrations.

The Head of Civil Service disclosed this on Monday while marking the start of the 2026 Public Service Day celebrations.

She said the government remains committed to clearing the outstanding balance and has used this intervention to improve workers' welfare and strengthen the public service.

The administration has also maintained regular salary payments, introduced the 80,000 naira minimum wage effective November 1, 2024, and kept paying workers a 13th-month salary called Eno-Mber.

The governor introduced this 13th-month benefit in 2023 as an additional financial boost for public servants during the festive period.

The state government has recruited or approved approximately 7,069 personnel by May 2026, including 4,000 general workers, 1,000 primary school teachers, and 766 health workers and other critical staff.

These new hires address staffing gaps, build institutional capacity and improve service delivery across the state.

On housing, the government has allocated 150 completed two-bedroom expandable houses free of charge to civil servants on lower grades through a transparent raffle process.

The government also launched a health insurance scheme for civil servants where the state covers the full cost of premiums for junior workers.

The administration is focused on turning government policies into real results for people.