Akure, Ondo State — Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has initiated the third phase of payments to clear a N3.2 billion backlog of gratuities owed to retirees. This payment includes N2.2 billion for state civil service retirees and N1 billion for local government retirees.
The ceremony, held at the Cocoa Conference Hall in Akure, saw Governor Aiyedatiwa reaffirm his administration’s commitment to the welfare of the state’s senior citizens. He emphasized that despite financial constraints, the government remains dedicated to ensuring retirees receive their due entitlements.
“Today marks another important step in our commitment to the welfare of our people, including both active workers and retirees. We assure all retirees that through our consistent payments, the backlog of gratuities will be fully cleared in due course,” the governor stated.
He further explained that the government had disbursed N1.2 billion in January 2024, and an additional N1.18 billion between January and June 2024 to retirees in urgent need of financial support.
Alhaji Amidu Takuro, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, expressed gratitude to the governor for his genuine concern for retirees. Meanwhile, Johnson Osunyemi, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners in Ondo State, commended the administration for addressing the long-overdue payments, which many retirees had been eagerly awaiting. He noted, however, that some retirees had unfortunately passed away while waiting for their gratuities.
The payment of this backlog provides significant relief to many retirees in the state, marking a major milestone in the government’s efforts to fulfill its financial obligations to former public servants.
