Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, mentioned on Tuesday that his administration had given out N1.2bn in overdue retirement benefits to retired local government workers and elementary school teachers in the past 15 months.
Oyebanji, who expressed sadness about the situation of the groups of retired workers waiting for their benefits for many years, stated that his administration would fix this by ensuring prompt payment of their gratuities.
The governor, who spoke in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, while handing out gratuity cheques to retired local government workers and primary school teachers, assured the pensioners that more of them would soon receive their payments as he had increased the monthly gratuity amount from N50m to N100m.
He said, “It is important to note that we have given out N1.214bn as gratuities to 377 retired local government and primary school teachers since the beginning of this administration. Our aim is to cover everyone; and with God on our side, we will not stop until it is achieved. Rest should, indeed sweet after labour.
“Regarding the March to September 2018 arrears of your pensions, we are making good progress in settling them. We have paid three out of seven months so far. I assure you that the remaining four will soon be cleared.”
Oyebanji said the government was working on peace and security to attract investors for sustainable economic development in the areas of industrialization, employment creation, and wealth generation.
He advised recipients to use the gratuity for things that would improve their welfare and well-being to make up for the long wait.
The Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Chief Folorunso Olabode, stated that the Oyebanji administration had been paying N580m in pension every month since 2022, and praised the governor for doubling the monthly gratuity payment to LG and primary school retirees from N50m to N100m.
The Chairman, Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Ekiti State Chapter, Mr Joel Akinola, commended Oyebanji for his care for pensioners and expressed confidence that the backlog of retired LG and primary school teachers' arrears would soon be cleared.
Akinola urged retirees to take advantage of the free health services tailored for pensioners by the current administration, as this would lengthen their life expectancy and improve their health.
The NUP chairman said, “Our members have been through difficult times. I have never seen any state where the governor issues cheques to pensioners every month for gratuity payment. This gives us a lot of hope. We especially thank the governor for his concern about us”
