Thousands of Federal Civil Servants across the country have welco-med the decision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to restore the payment of gratuity to retiring workers in the Federal Civil Service, ending nearly two decades of agitation by labour unions.
The development spark-ed excitement at the Federal Secretariat in Abuja on Thursday as news filtered in that the Federal Government had approved a new Exit Benefit Scheme that will grant retiring civil servants gratuity equivalent to 100 per cent of their total annual emolument.
The National President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), Comrade Shehu Mohammed, and the Secretary-General of the union, Comrade Joshua Apebo, confirmed the development in a press statement issued in Abuja.
The labour leaders commended President Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council for listening to the concerns of thousands of federal workers and approving the scheme aimed at improving the welfare of civil servants after retirement.
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According to the union, the approval marks a significant milestone in the long-standing struggle by organised labour to restore gratuity payments for federal workers who have served the nation for decades.
"We are really glad that after decades of struggles by the union to ensure that federal civil servants who have served the country for 35 years or attained 60 years of age, whichever comes first, can now be rewarded as it used to be in the past," the statement said.
The association recalled that gratuity payments to federal civil servants were halted following the enactment of the Pension Reform Act of 2004, even though the legislation did not explicitly abolish the benefit.
It explained that since 2004, the union had consistently pushed for the restoration of the scheme through several memoranda to government, official correspondences and engagements with successive administrations.
The ASCSN leadership also revealed that during a courtesy visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa on August 19, 2022, the matter was brought to his attention and he pledged to work towards its restoration.
The union expressed optimism that the newly approved scheme would take effect from January 2026, in line with the directive of President Tinubu, noting that the move would significantly boost the morale of workers in the federal civil service.
"We look forward to the implementation of the new gratuity scheme to federal civil servants from January 2026 as directed by Mr President so that the morale of civil servants can be further boosted," the union said.
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It further assured members that it would closely monitor the implementation process to ensure the policy is carried out as approved by the government.
Labour leaders described gratuity as a post-retirement benefit paid by an employer to an employee in recognition of years of dedicated service. Unlike contributory pension schemes, gratuity is paid without any financial contribution from the worker.
They noted that the benefit often serves as a financial cushion for retirees, enabling them to start post-retirement ventures and meet personal needs after leaving active service.
According to the union, the restoration of gratuity reflects the principle that individuals who have devoted decades of their lives to public service deserve a "golden handshake" in appreciation of their mental and physical contributions to national development.
The announcement has already been widely welcomed by federal workers, many of whom see the decision as a major step toward improving the welfare and dignity of civil servants at retirement.
