Edo pays N2 billion gratuities to pensioners

Edo State government has paid out #2 billion as gratuities to 539 pensioners from 2010 and 2011 batches, even as the state workers have got their salaries for January, 2016.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Peter Okhiria said the payment of the pensioners’ gratuity was in fulfillment of the promise of the governor to defray the pension liability to the retired workers.

He said the state’s Head of Service, Mrs. Gladys Idahor, who announced the payment said those who got their respective bank credit alerts were those already screened and have done their biometrics.

She said those who have errors in their account details, some who didn’t turn up for screening and others whose records were incomplete are yet to get their payment alerts.

She explained that the next of kin of deceased staff are also yet to be paid, noting that another date will soon be announced for the screening of those who didn’t turn up in the first exercise and the next of kin of deceased staff who have the requisite letters of administration.

According to Mrs. Idahor, “one hundred and seventy five pensioners from the 2010 batch and three hundred and sixty four from the 2011 batch who were successfully verified have been paid their gratuities.

“The verification exercise and payment of gratuities will be a continuous exercise and a date will be announced soon for pensioners who retired in 2012 to come for their verification and immediate payments.”

It will be recalled that Governor Adams Oshiomhole had told pensioners in the state that Government is doing everything possible to fast-track the process, assuring that “this gratuity will not be paid piecemeal, not that they will give you 40%, 50% and then you come back another day, no. this present gratuity will be paid in full at once.”

He added: “one other decision I took on assumption of office was that I directed the Accountant-General to ensure that those who have been cleared to receive their pension are paid the same day those who are working are paid, the day I receive my pay, that must be the same day those pensioners are paid”.