… Says govt won’t play politics with workers’ welfare

The Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Monday flagged off the disbursement of ₦2.4 billion as gratuities to pensioners who retired from the state public service in 2018 and 2019.

While describing the exercise as a fulfilment of moral obligation to those who had served the state diligently, Aiyedatiwa noted that many pensioners had endured years of hardship due to delayed payments.

With the ceremony, held at the Cocoa Conference Centre, Governor’s Office, Akure, the governor maintained that the development will in no small measure restore the dignity of retirees and address longstanding arrears owed to them.

Aiyedatiwa stressed that retirement should be a period of rest and dignity rather than uncertainty, adding that his administration was determined to honour the sacrifices of senior citizens by ensuring they receive their rightful entitlements.

According to him, the administration inherited a substantial backlog of pension and gratuity liabilities, which came with stories of prolonged waiting, anguish, and, in some cases, loss of lives, as some beneficiaries did not survive to receive their dues.

Aiyedatiwa, however, assured that his government remained committed to clearing all outstanding arrears, adding that necessary mechanisms had been put in place to ensure the backlog is addressed within the shortest possible time.

The governor emphasised that his administration would not politicise the welfare of the people, stating that the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Ondo State Council, could attest to the consistency in the release of intervention funds.

Reiterating his commitment to governance, he said the administration would continue to ensure the safety of lives and property while investing in critical infrastructure for the benefit of residents.

He also assured that other retirees yet to benefit would be attended to, urging senior citizens to take advantage of the Ondo State Health Insurance Scheme, which has been subsidised by the government to improve access to healthcare.

On his part, the Permanent Secretary of the Ondo State Pension Transitional Department, Dr Peter Akingbade, described the development as a major step towards clearing the backlog of gratuities, attributing the achievement to the commitment of the governor.

Providing a breakdown, Akingbade disclosed that 733 retirees would benefit from the exercise, comprising 391 retirees from 2018 and 342 from 2019, drawn from the mainstream civil service, teaching and non-teaching staff of secondary schools, and parastatals across the state.

He added that the process of gratuity payment is continuous, urging retirees yet to be verified to complete their documentation.

Akingbade also recalled that gratuities for 2015, 2016, and 2017 Batch B were paid in January 2026, with a total sum of ₦1,013,304,155.08 disbursed.

The chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners in the state, Mr Johnson Osunyemi, said pensioners would be eternally grateful, describing the governor as the saviour of pensioners in Ondo