By Tolulope Eniola
Ondo State Governor, Dr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has flagged off the payment of N3.82 billion in gratuities to 985 verified retirees of the state public service.
The governor performed the flag-off on Wednesday at the Cocoa Conference Centre, Governor’s Office, Alagbaka, Akure, describing the exercise as a fulfilment of the government’s obligation to workers who dedicated their productive years to the service and development of the state.
Aiyedatiwa said his administration inherited billions of naira in outstanding gratuity obligations covering the period from 2015, but had confronted the burden with courage and responsibility.
He said the administration had successfully defrayed outstanding gratuities for the years 2015 to 2019, adding that the commencement of payment to the 2020 batch represented another major step towards clearing the backlog.
According to him, a total of N3,823,323,739.30 will be paid to deserving and verified retirees under the current exercise, without discrimination or bias.
The governor disclosed that the 985 beneficiaries were drawn from the mainstream civil service, teaching and non-teaching staff of secondary schools, as well as various parastatals across the state.
He explained that 509 of the beneficiaries were retirees from the 2020 batch, while the remaining 476 were retirees from the 2015–2019 secondary batches whose entitlements, after due clearance, were also being mopped up.
Aiyedatiwa described the payment as more than a financial intervention, stressing that it was a demonstration of the government’s commitment to respecting the sacrifices of those who served the state.
“This is not merely a financial intervention. It is a testament to the values our government places on those who have used their productive years in the service of the Sunshine State.
“We remember your service; we respect your sacrifice; and we will not forget your entitlement,” he said.
The governor reiterated his administration’s determination to clear all outstanding gratuity arrears before the end of its tenure.
He said the payment of inherited gratuities was a moral responsibility rather than a political tool, assuring retirees that the government would continue to prioritise their welfare with fairness, equity and compassion.
Aiyedatiwa also appreciated stakeholders who contributed to the success of the payment process, while attributing part of the improved fiscal capacity of states to the economic reforms of the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He said the reforms had created greater fiscal space and improved the resources available to state governments to meet their obligations to citizens, including the payment of gratuities.
The governor urged the retirees to continue supporting the government and praying for the success of its policies and programmes under the administration’s OUR EASE developmental agenda.
He also called on residents to remain united and committed to the development of the state, stressing that the task of building a better Ondo State was a collective responsibility.
Aiyedatiwa assured the retirees that their patience had not been in vain, adding that their years of service and contributions remained an important part of the history and development of Ondo State.
In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Ondo State Pension Transition Office, Dr Peter Akingbade, disclosed that retirees from the 2015 Batch C, 2016 Batch C, 2017 Batch C, 2018 Batch B, 2019 Batch B and 2020 Batch A were being paid and were already receiving bank alerts.
Akingbade said the beneficiaries would receive their full gratuity entitlements rather than partial payments, describing the development as a milestone that would bring relief, dignity and renewed hope to retirees.
He attributed the payment to Aiyedatiwa’s commitment to improving the welfare of senior citizens under the administration’s OUR EASE agenda.
“The giant stride of Your Excellency and your unwavering commitment to better the lot of our senior citizens in Ondo State is a testament to your administration’s agenda, ‘OUR EASE’,” he said.
Akingbade commended the Commissioner for Finance, Mrs Omowunmi Isaac, for her strategic contribution and the Head of Service, Sir Segun Odusanya, for his dedication to retirees’ welfare under the Defined Benefit Scheme.
He also appreciated permanent secretaries, accounting officers and staff of the Pension Transition Office for their contributions, as well as the Nigerian Union of Pensioners and its executive committee for their cooperation. He acknowledged the leadership of the NLC and TUC in the state.
The permanent secretary said the gratuity payment process was continuous, urging retirees yet to be verified to come forward and complete their documentation.
He congratulated the beneficiaries, describing the occasion as historic and saying it demonstrated that the administration had placed the welfare of the people first.
Akingbade added that Aiyedatiwa had shown that leadership was about compassion and commitment to putting smiles on citizens’ faces, while praying that God would continue to protect the governor and members of his cabinet and grant them greater accomplishments.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs Nike Ogunbodede appreciated the governor for the gesture, describing it as a remarkable development that had never been witnessed in the state.
In his vote of thanks, the state chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Comrade Johnson Osunyemi, appreciated the governor, saying Ondo State was among the leading states in the country in clearing the backlog of gratuities owed to retired workers.
In attendance were the Deputy Governor, Dr Olayide Adelami; Secretary to the State Government, Dr Taiwo Fasoranti; State Chairman of APC, Hon. Kolawole Babatunde; Chief of Staff, Prince Segun Omojuwa; Head of Service, Mr Segun Odusanya; members of the State Executive Council; State Chairman of Trade Union Congress, Comrade Clement Fatuase; State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Ademola Olapade; Director-General, OSRC Media Group, Mr Kenneth Stevenson-Odusola; permanent secretaries; political appointees; among others
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