Ondo State Governor, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has once again put smiles on the faces of retired civil servants with the disbursement of ₦2.396 billion to clear gratuity arrears for 2016 and 2017 retirees in the state civil service.
The flag-off ceremony, held on Monday at the Cocoa Conference Centre, Governor’s Office, Akure, signified another major fulfilment of Aiyedatiwa’s promise to offset inherited pension and gratuity debts.
Speaking at the event, the Governor described the initiative as part of a deliberate policy to ensure that all retirees receive their benefits transparently and without discrimination.
“This is a culmination of our administration’s sincerity of purpose and unwavering resolve to honour men and women who gave their strength, intellect and years of service to the development of Ondo State,” Governor Aiyedatiwa said.
He explained that his government adopted the “year of exit” method as the sole criterion for gratuity qualification, noting that the approach was designed to ensure fairness and eliminate favouritism. The Governor said the disbursement came barely a week after his administration paid over ₦1.4 billion to local government and primary school retirees.
Reaffirming his government’s commitment to pensioners’ welfare, he said, “We are resolutely committed to clearing all backlog of gratuity obligations. Our retirees deserve empathy, honour, and respect. This is not an act of favour; it is a moral and constitutional duty we hold dear.”
Aiyedatiwa highlighted several other welfare programmes, including the monthly release of ₦180 million to offset gratuity arrears, the payment of ₦2.236 billion to 2015 retirees, a ₦30,000 fuel subsidy allowance for pensioners, and ongoing infrastructural projects such as road construction, solar-powered streetlights, and digital infrastructure investments.
He also urged retirees to enrol in the state’s health insurance scheme, emphasizing that access to healthcare was essential to their wellbeing.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ondo State Pension Transitional Department, Mrs Bunmi Alade, commended the Governor for prioritising retirees’ welfare despite competing financial obligations. She noted that it was the first time in the state’s history that two years of gratuity arrears were being cleared at once.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Ondo State chapter, Comrade Johnson Osuyemi, lauded the Governor for restoring hope to pensioners and demonstrating genuine compassion toward their plight. He said many retirees who once faced severe hardship could now heave a sigh of relief.
The event was attended by the Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Prince Segun Omojuwa; Head of Service, Mr Bayo Philip; members of the State Executive Council, lawmakers, permanent secretaries, and other top government officials.
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