• Gives cheques worth N1b to pensioners as gratuities
• Apologises for delay in payment
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, yesterday, pledged not to disappoint workers on the implementation of the new minimum wage approved by President Bola Tinubu, saying that “once it becomes law, I promise to do my best.”
This was just as the governor apologised to pensioners in the state for what they have endured before getting their gratuities, saying that as senior citizens, they deserve their payment as and when due.
Oyebanji, who gave the promise and apology during the official distribution of cheques worth N1 billion to state pensioners in Ado-Ekiti, said that since coming on board, he had made the monthly pension payment among the first line charges because of the priority he accorded senior citizens.
“Let me respond to some issues raised by earlier speakers before reading my speech. On the issue of the new minimum wage, all I want to say is that all will be well. Some people are going to social media to mount pressure on their governors to pay. I do not need any pressure to do what is right. Once it becomes a law, I promise not to let you down. We will try our best.”
On the issue of gratuities, he said: “You all served the state diligently. So, you deserve to earn your terminal benefits as and when due. Let me apologise to you, on behalf of the state, for the delay that you have endured before today.
“As elder statesmen, your welfare is always a priority to this administration and that is why your monthly pension has been on the first line charge. I am proud to say that we have paid in total, the sum of N12,569,562,242 as pensions since we assumed office.
“Similarly, this administration has paid a cumulative N2.3 billion as gratuity to our retired senior citizens. That is apart from the gratuity already paid to local council retirees. Today and in this batch, we are paying out N1 billion only to this batch, while continuing with the monthly gratuity payment of N20 million to both state and local council pensioners.”
Oyebanji, however, appealed to public servants still in service to subscribe to the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) as introduced, which according to him, would help in ending the challenges associated with “Defined Benefit Pension Scheme, saying that the burden of gratuity payment is quite enormous but the CPS guarantees a more seamless and quick payment pattern.”
In his remarks, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Joel Akinola, appeal to the governor to pay the three months arrears of the pension owed local council workers.
Akinola, who said that some former governors in the state “fumbled” with regards to payment of gratuities, leading to the backlog of unpaid benefits to retirees, lauded Oyebanji for prioritising retired workers’ welfare.
