To make residents and key stakeholders happier, some Nigerian governors have approved Christmas bonuses for certain categories of people in their states.
A governor approved N150,000 bonus to dozens of traditional rulers as Christmas 2024 gift.
In this report, Legit.ng highlights governors who have approved bonuses of N100,000 and above for Christmas.
Christmas: Ebonyi
Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi recently announced that every worker in the state will get N150,000 Christmas bonus.
This was confirmed by Monday Uzor, the governor’s chief press secretary (CPS), in a Facebook post on Thursday, December 12. The governor’s aide noted that the move demonstrated Nwifuru’s commitment to workers’ welfare, adding that 2023’s bonus was N100,000.
Abia state
In early December 2024, Alex Otti, governor of Abia, approved the sum of N81.6 million as a Christmas bonus for the state’s 544 traditional rulers.
The gesture was disclosed in a statement by Uzor Nwachukwu, the commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs.
He said:
“His Excellency, Dr. Alex C. Otti has graciously approved the sum of N150,000 to each of the 544 Abia traditional rulers as Christmas bonus.”
Against the backdrop of the update from the governor’s office, Eze Linus Nto Mbah, the chairman of the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers, confirmed Otti’s gesture, describing it as unprecedented.
Eze Mbah said:
“The Christmas bonus is a testament that Governor Otti acknowledges and recognises the traditional institution in Abia state.”
Rivers Christmas bonus
On Tuesday evening, December 24, George Nwaeke, the head of the civil service of Rivers, informed the general public that the state’s No.1 citizen, Siminalayi Fubara, “in the spirit of the yuletide”, approved N100,000 for all workers under the payroll of the government in the oil-rich state. Pensioners also benefited from the development.
According to Nwaeke, this is to enable public servants to have a fulfilled Christmas 2024 celebration.
Legit.ng understands that the 2024 Christmas bonus will go to workers in the different ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) as well as the pensioners both in the civil and public service.
Nwaeke said:
“I wish to state that this is the second time within the administration of His Excellency Governor Siminalayi Fubara that civil servants in the state will be receiving Christmas bonuses, to the tune of one hundred thousand naira, an amount which is above the value of the nation’s minimum wage, and the first time that pensioners are being included.
“The one hundred thousand naira Christmas bonus for both civil and public servants as well as pensioners is part of Governor Fubara’s “Rivers First mantra” aimed at securing the well-being and happiness of Rivers people across the various sectors of the economy.”
Read more on Christmas 2024:
FG declares holidays for Christmas, New Year
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the federal government of Nigeria declared public holidays to mark the Christmas and New Year’s Day celebrations.
In a statement obtained by Legit.ng, the minister of interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, declared Wednesday, and Thursday, December, 25 and 26 2024, and Wednesday, January 1, 2025, as the public holidays.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain felicitated with Christians and all Nigerians at home and in the diaspora, enjoining them to emulate the life of Jesus Christ in his practice and teachings of humility, service, compassion, and patience.