Thousands of federal civil servants across the country have expressed excitement following the restoration of gratuity payments for retiring workers by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The development was announced in a statement issued in Abuja by the leadership of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC).
According to the statement signed by the National President of the union, Shehu Mohammed, and the Secretary-General, Joshua Apebo, the decision has been widely welcomed by civil servants who had long advocated for the return of the benefit.
The union said the Federal Secretariat in Abuja was filled with excitement as news spread that the Federal Government had approved an Exit Benefit Scheme granting retiring federal civil servants a gratuity equivalent to 100 percent of their total annual emoluments.
The labour leaders commended President Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council for responding to the long-standing concerns of federal workers.
“We are really glad that after decades of struggles by the union, federal civil servants who have served the country for 35 years or attained 60 years of age, whichever comes first, can now receive gratuity as it used to be in the past,” the statement said.
ASCSN recalled that gratuity payments to federal civil servants were halted following the enactment of the Pension Reform Act 2004, although the law did not explicitly abolish the benefit.
The union noted that since 2004 it had submitted several memoranda to government authorities and written numerous letters seeking the restoration of gratuity payments.
It also recalled that during a courtesy visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa on August 19, 2022, the issue was raised, with Buhari pledging to work towards its restoration.
ASCSN expressed optimism that the newly approved gratuity scheme would be fully implemented from January 2026 as directed by President Tinubu, adding that the move would significantly boost the morale of civil servants.
The union further assured its members that it would closely monitor the implementation of the policy to ensure compliance.
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According to the labour leaders, gratuity is a retirement benefit paid by an employer to a worker without any financial contribution from the employee and is often used to support post-retirement ventures.
They added that the payment represents the proverbial “golden handshake” for workers who have devoted decades of service and effort to public and private institutions.
