… Gov. Sule approves payment of Pension backlog
Nasarawa State has received an additional N2.6 billion in revenue from the operators of the lithium processing plant in Endo, Nasarawa Local Government Area of the State.
The payout comes alongside Governor Abdullahi Sule’s approval of N2 billion to clear long-standing pension and gratuity backlogs dating back to 2013.
Speaking at a bi-monthly media briefing at the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Lafia, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Public Affairs, Hon. Peter Ahemba, said the developments followed an expanded State Executive Council meeting that included traditional rulers and community leaders.
Ahemba explained that the N2.6 billion revenue follows an earlier $1.5 million signature bonus paid to the State.
He noted that the joint agreement with the mining firm which operates Africa’s largest lithium processing facility runs through 2051, securing long-term revenue for future administrations.
He said the host communities have already been asked to submit priority project lists to guide immediate government interventions.
Dismissing rumours that the governor privately owned the mining asset, Ahemba clarified the true ownership of the operational license.
”Let it be clearly known to the people of Nasarawa State that the license, acquired from the Federal Government, is registered in the name of the Nasarawa State Government and not any individual.
“His Excellency is not a dictator. At every stage, he ensures the public provides input on government projects so communities can decide what developments they need and where they should go,” he said.
On the retirement benefit clearances, the governor’s aide confirmed that the State Pension Board is setting up seamless payment channels to distribute the N2 billion to verified pensioners without delay.
Addressing basic education reforms, Ahemba announced the completion of the recruitment exercise for 1,000 primary school teachers through the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).
He said selected purely on merit from a pool of over 10,000 applicants, only successful candidates are receiving appointment letters for immediate deployment to rural schools.
The governor’s aide added that to boost enrollment and reduce the number of out-of-school children, the state has procured 10,000 exercise books, 10,000 uniforms, and 10,000 pairs of sandals for public school pupils.
Ahemba, however cautioned that voluntary enrollment campaigns will soon turn into legal enforcement.
He noted that SUBEB and the Ministry of Justice are setting up mobile courts and task forces to prosecute parents who fail to send school-age children to class.
On infrastructure, he said that the executive council finalised plans to launch new urban and rural road projects within weeks, targeting coverage across all 13 Local Government Areas before the current administration ends its tenure.
Ahead of the 2027 election cycle, Ahemba warned political actors against causing civil unrest or heating up the polity.
”Government will not sit back and watch any politician, no matter how highly placed, create trouble. Anyone playing politics must play by the rules, as violators will face the full weight of the law,” he said.
He also debunked claims that the state denied an opposition governorship candidate access to a public venue, clarifying that no formal facility request was ever submitted to the government.
Ahemba reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to media transparency and congratulating the newly elected leadership of the Nasarawa NUJ Council, led by Comrade Juliana Ofoku.
