Pensioners in Ondo State have continued to express joy and appreciation to Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa for approving the payment of ₦1.4 billion gratuity arrears to retired local government workers and primary school teachers who left service in 2014.
According to a statement issued on Monday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, the payment marks another major milestone in the governor’s commitment to clearing the backlog of unpaid gratuities in the state.
The gesture follows the earlier disbursements to 2011, 2012, and 2013 retirees within the last one year.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony held in Akure, Governor Aiyedatiwa said the initiative was part of his administration’s structured plan to restore confidence among pensioners through fairness and transparency.
He said, “I started this even when I was Deputy Governor. I presented a case to the then Governor, which he approved for us, and we started that initiative of saving money.”
Periodically, any time we have an allocation that is good enough, we put some money aside to settle the gratuities of our retirees. This will continue now that we are fully in charge as Governor.”
Aiyedatiwa explained that the payment process was based solely on the year of exit from service, ensuring that no retiree was unfairly treated.
“Our desire to adopt and consistently apply the year of exit as the sole qualification for bulk payment is to make the process transparent and predictable and to ensure no one is discriminated against,” he stated.
The governor also disclosed that his administration had earlier cleared gratuities for 2011, 2012, and 2013 retirees, describing the move as “unprecedented in the history of the state.”
“Today, we are exiting 2014, and very soon, we will exit 2015, and so on, until everybody is cleared. Since our assumption of office, we have paid serious and deliberate attention to the welfare of pensioners in Ondo State,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa further stressed that his government viewed the prompt payment of pension allowances not as an achievement but as a duty owed to those who had served the state.
“Most times, we feel reluctant to list prompt payment of pension allowances and consequential adjustments as achievements because payment of monthly pensions to our senior citizens is our obligation,” he added.
He noted that the latest disbursement would rekindle hope among pensioners and boost their financial stability. “The consistent and prompt payment of gratuities and pension awards is not merely a financial lifeline to our senior citizens but a total investment in their well-being,” he said.
The governor also presented cheques to the next of kin of three local government staff who died in a road accident while on official duty, assuring that their families would not be forgotten.
In his goodwill message, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Adeniran Ikuomola, who represented the Head of Service, applauded the governor for prioritising the elderly despite other pressing needs.
“Mr Governor has his choice. He could have used ₦1.4 billion for other things, but he chose to prioritise the elderly. What you are doing today is not just for those retired officers but for all of us still in the service,” he said.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Amidu Takuro, praised Aiyedatiwa for sustaining the pension savings initiative he introduced as Deputy Governor.
“A week ago, when Your Excellency asked about the balance we’ve saved and we told you, you said, ‘What are you waiting for? Pay them now!’ That instruction shows your compassion for the elderly,” he stated.
Chairman of the National Union of Pensioners (NUP) in Ondo State, Johnson Osunyemi, commended the governor for restoring dignity to retirees. “You have rekindled our hope and reminded us that Ondo State still values the service of its senior citizens,” he said.
The event was attended by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Olayide Adelami; Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Taiwo Fasoranti; Chief of Staff, Prince Segun Omojuwa; and other top government officials.
