By NANA MUSA

Many civil servants in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have expressed joy over the re-introduction of gratuity in the Federal Civil Service.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the National Pension Commission (PenCom) is collaborating with the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) to ensure its successful implementation.

The framework was for civil servants in treasury-funded Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

NAN reports that the gratuity scheme would be established in line with Section 4(4)(a) of the Pension Reform Act (PRA 2014) for retiring employees of Federal Government treasury-funded MDAs.

Gratuity is a monetary reward given by employers to employees as a token of appreciation for their long-term services and dedication.

In an interview with NAN, Mrs. Priscilla Ralph, said that the re-introduction of gratuity was a welcome development.

“This serves as a form of encouragement for us to take our job more seriously.

“I also pray this development comes to light because our hopes are high since the announcement.

“Whenever government makes any announcements like this, expectations are usually high, like cost of food, transport, and house rent among others,” she said.

Mr. George Ose commended the government and President Bola Tinubu for improving the welfare of those who had served the nation with dedication.

“Pensioners deserve all the good things of life after putting in 35 years working for the nation.

“I also urge the government to look into the health insurance for pensioners because that is when they need it the most, usually they stop the insurance at retirement which is not the right thing,” he said.

A retired civil servant, Dr. Doris Emmanuel, commended the initiative, adding that gratuity serves not only as a financial cushion but also as a gesture of appreciation for years of selfless service.

According to her, the absence of gratuity in many quarters has contributed to anxiety, uncertainty, and hardship often faced by retirees immediately after disengagement from service.

Emmanuel said that the CPS had brought transparency and sustainability to pension administration, the emotional and transitional needs of retiring workers must also be addressed through measures like gratuity.

“I want to commend the president’s approval of the N758 billion Treasury Bond by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in February, to settle all government liabilities to the CPS retirees for more than 20 years.

“Also, I urge the National Assembly to approve it, so pensioners can receive their money while they are alive, some have died in the struggle while waiting for their payment,” she said.

The Senior Technical Advisor at the Contributory Pension and Happy Retirement Advocacy (COPEHRA), Alhaji Sani Mustapha, commended the president’s transformational leadership in the pension industry over the past two years.

He said this was good news for the Nigerian Civil Service, adding that it was a testament to the commitment of the present government, aside from other noble reforms in the pension and retirement airspace.

Mustapha said that many states had been paying gratuity and urged others to do same.

“If some organisations and state governments still pay gratuity alongside pension entitlements, particularly in the public sector, then this should cut across to promote the principles of equity, fairness, motivation, and dignity in retirement.

“I also urge the states yet to join CPS to do so to improve the wellbeing of pensioners,” he said. (NAN)