Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Wednesday flagged off the payment of N3.82 billion gratuities to 985 retired workers of the state, promising to clear all inherited gratuity arrears before the end of his tenure.
The beneficiaries comprise 509 retirees from the 2020 batch and 476 outstanding beneficiaries from the 2015 to 2019 batches, drawn from the mainstream civil service, secondary school teaching and non-teaching staff, as well as state-owned parastatals.
Speaking at the Cocoa Conference Centre, Governor’s Office, Alagbaka, Akure, Aiyedatiwa described the payment as a “debt of honour” owed to workers who devoted their productive years to the service of the state.
The governor said his administration inherited billions of naira in unpaid gratuities dating back to 2015, but decided to confront the liability rather than allow it to continue to accumulate.
“When our administration came to the saddle, we inherited billions of Naira in outstanding gratuity obligations covering the period from 2015 to date.
“We did not shy away from this burden. Rather, we confronted it with courage, responsibility and a clear understanding that governance is not only about initiating new projects; it is equally about confronting inherited challenges and resolving them,” he said.
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Aiyedatiwa said the administration had already defrayed outstanding gratuities for beneficiaries covering 2015 to 2019, adding that the payment to the 2020 batch represented another major step towards eliminating the backlog.
He said “Today, we are taking another giant step forward with the flag-off of payment to retirees of the year 2020. We give all glory to Almighty God for the grace and enablement to fulfil this important obligation,”
The governor assured retirees that his administration would continue to prioritise their welfare, stressing that the payment was not merely a financial intervention but recognition of their years of service.
“We remember your service; we respect your sacrifice; and we will not forget your entitlement,” Aiyedatiwa said.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ondo State Pension Transition Office, Dr Peter Akingbade, disclosed that beneficiaries from the 2015 Batch C, 2016 Batch C, 2017 Batch C, 2018 Batch B, 2019 Batch B and 2020 Batch A were being paid.
He said the beneficiaries would receive their full gratuity entitlements rather than partial payments, adding that the development would provide relief and restore dignity and hope to retired workers.
Akingbade attributed the development to the governor’s commitment to the welfare of senior citizens under the administration’s OUR EASE agenda.
He commended the Commissioner for Finance, Mrs Omowunmi Isaac, for her contribution to the process and the Head of Service, Mr Segun Odusanya, for his commitment to the welfare of retirees under the Defined Benefit Scheme.
The permanent secretary said payment of gratuities remained a continuous process, urging retirees who were yet to complete their verification and documentation to do so.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs Nike Ogunbodede thanked the governor for the payment, describing it as a remarkable development.
Also, the state chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Comrade Johnson Osunyemi, commended Aiyedatiwa, saying Ondo State was among the leading states in the country in clearing the backlog of gratuities owed retired workers.
The event was attended by the Deputy Governor, Dr Olayide Adelami; Secretary to the State Government, Dr Taiwo Fasoranti; APC State Chairman, Hon. Kolawole Babatunde; Chief of Staff, Prince Segun Omojuwa; Head of Service, Mr Segun Odusanya; members of the State Executive Council; labour leaders and other government officials.
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