Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State has revealed his administration’s intention to address the N24 billion worth of gratuities owed to retirees in the state, dating back eight years.

During a media engagement in Calabar to mark his first 100 days in office, Governor Otu acknowledged the importance of recognizing and honoring the contributions of past heroes and stressed that the state’s accumulated gratuity debt was a matter of concern.

The governor expressed concern about retirees who had not received their gratuities and lamented that some of them had passed away without obtaining the benefits they had earned through years of service.

“As of today, we are owing our retirees N24 billion in terms of gratuities, and the way I am looking at the economy in both the state and the nation, this is not an amount of money that can be easily achieved in terms of payment,” Governor Otu stated.

To address the issue, Governor Otu revealed that his administration had requested the State House of Assembly to develop a contributory pension scheme bill, and they had also engaged the assistance of reputable banks to clear the N24 billion gratuity backlog.

However, he noted that the state’s labor union had expressed reservations about participating in the scheme due to concerns that some members had not received payments from previous schemes. Governor Otu pledged to investigate these concerns.

The governor emphasized the state’s commitment to security and its investment in measures to ensure the safety of residents. He disclosed that the state had acquired a device capable of identifying the hideouts of kidnappers and criminal elements.

Governor Otu underscored the state’s determination to address insecurity, mentioning the imposition of a curfew in specific areas to restore peace and security. He called on citizens to collaborate in identifying and eliminating individuals involved in criminal activities.