THE Oyo State government has paid another batch of 537 retirees the sum of N1.5 billion as gratuities.
The beneficiaries include retired local government workers, retired primary school teachers, and next of kin of deceased staff across the 33 local government areas of the state.
Speaking at the presentation of cheques to the beneficiaries at Ibadan on Tuesday, the Chairman of the Local Government Staff Pension Board, Prince Adebayo Adeyemi, urged the beneficiaries to make the best use of the money.
He reiterated the commitment of Governor Seyi Makinde-led government to clear the backlog of monthly pensions being owed to retirees over the years.
Adeyemi noted that the governor is a man of the people whose legacy is to care for the pensioners and see to the good welfare of the people of the state.
“The present administration met an unbelievable unpaid arrears of gratuity of a sum of over N40 billion and as of today the government of Engr. Seyi Makinde has paid over N14 billion naira out of this amount.
“I am glad to inform you that today’s exercise is going to gulp a sum of one billion, five hundred million naira to be disbursed to beneficiaries, ranging from Alive Retirees of Primary Schools Service, Local Governments, those with serious health challenges and the next of kin of the deceased pensioners,” he said.
Adeyemi, while commending the gesture and honest purpose of the government to the welfare of retirees, stated that those that retired from May 2019 to date are already captured in this current exercise.
“The governor has promised to solve all the associated problems with the outstanding arrears of gratuity and other retirement benefits of our dear pensioners.
“We should therefore continue to pray for him and support his Administration to succeed and bring more development to the State”, he added.
In his remark, the Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Oyo state, Mr. Segun Abatan, warned the beneficiaries against committing funds to ventures they are not conversant with.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of, Local Government Staff Pension Board, Alhaji Lukman Muraina, appreciated the Oyo State Government and the leaders of the pensioners in the state for their support and cooperation.
He, however, appealed to the people to continue to support the government, assuring them that they will not be disappointed.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Oluyemisi Tella, said the continuous payment of pensions and gratuities by the current administration was an indication that Governor Makinde was a kind and committed person.
