The Kwara State Government has approved ₦8.1 billion for the payment of gratuities to retired state and local government workers. The announcement was made by the Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Hawa Nuhu, during the third-quarter inter-ministerial briefing held on Tuesday at the Ministry of Finance Conference Hall in Ilorin.

According to Dr. Nuhu, ₦5.6 billion will go to retired state civil servants, while ₦2.5 billion has been set aside for local government retirees. She emphasized that the state government remains committed to gradually clearing pension and gratuity arrears without affecting other developmental projects across the state.

The commissioner noted that pension and gratuity figures had increased significantly following the implementation of the ₦30,000 and ₦70,000 minimum wage structures, which included consequential adjustments for retirees. She clarified that the government was not owing any verified retiree, except a few who failed to complete their verification exercise.

Dr. Nuhu also disclosed that the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) currently stands at ₦15.7 billion monthly, while its domestic debt is around ₦57 billion. She dismissed rumours of new tax levies in 2026, explaining that both state and federal authorities are only streamlining existing taxes to take effect from January 2026.

Other ministries also gave updates at the briefing. The Commissioner for Transportation, Lafia Aliyu Kora Sabi, revealed that the government had improved transport safety by introducing colour codes for operators and distributing 1,000 life jackets to riverine communities. Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Social Welfare and Development, Dr. Mariam Imam Nnafatima, said over 200 street beggars had been evacuated and repatriated, while renovation works were ongoing at the Amayo Rehabilitation Centre and Elders’ Home to enhance social welfare programs.