The Ondo State Government has commenced the payment of N2.5 billion in outstanding gratuities to retired local government employees and primary school teachers across the state....Read Full Article >>➤
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa assured the retirees of his commitment to the phased payment of outstanding gratuities, reaffirming that his administration would not relent until all arrears were fully cleared.
The governor made this assertion on Friday during the unveiling ceremony of the fourth batch of bulk defrayment of gratuity arrears for retired local government staff and primary school teachers at the Cocoa Conference Hall, Governor’s Office, Akure.
He emphasised that the government recognised the financial burdens faced by retirees and had prioritised their welfare despite the state’s limited resources. According to him, in the last three phases of the initiative, a total of N3 billion had been expended to clear gratuity backlogs up to the year 2012.
He said, “Retirees deserve to enjoy the fruits of their labour in peace and dignity. This initiative is part of our broader strategy to improve their welfare and ensure they are not forgotten after years of meritorious service.”
Aiyedatiwa reiterated that under his leadership, a system of regular warehousing of funds for gratuity payments had been put in place to ensure seamless and consistent disbursement. He assured retirees that gratuity payments in the state would no longer be subject to political influence or favouritism, as only the year of retirement would determine payment priority.
“Your prayers for us have continued to sustain us. It is to the glory of God that your efforts and support, as well as that of the entire people of the state, have given us yet another opportunity as we look forward to my official inauguration on Monday, 24th February 2025.
“I wish to assure you that with our renewed mandate, an era of unprecedented delivery of the dividends of good governance for the benefit of all in our Sunshine State has begun,” he added.
In his remarks, the state Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners, Mr Johnson Osunyemi, lauded the governor for consistently prioritising the welfare of retirees and ensuring the timely payment of gratuities.
Osunyemi further commended Aiyedatiwa for being one of the few governors in Nigeria to approve the implementation of the new minimum wage for pensioners, describing it as a landmark achievement that has significantly improved the living conditions of retirees in the state.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Head of Service, Mr Bayo Philip, urged the beneficiaries to utilise the payments wisely and expressed optimism that more retirees would benefit from subsequent phases of the defrayment exercise. ...Read Full Article >>➤
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