Governor Seyi Makinde, Governor of Oyo State, is said to have paid the sum of N2.9 billion to about 1, 800 pensioners. This was done to clear off the backlog of gratuities owed by the state government between June 2019 and September 2020.
Prof. Daud Sangodoyin, Commissioner for Establishment and Training, who represented the governor confirmed that gratuities to 91 retirees in Ibadan to the tune of N180 million were disbursed.
He said, ‘Governor Makinde’s administration releases N180 million monthly, for the payment of retirees’ entitlements to offset the backlog of gratuities.’
He disclosed that a committee headed by Mrs. Olubanwo Adeosun, Secretary to the State Government, has been put in place by the Governor to look into possible ways of improving payment of retirees so that they could get their entitlement while they are still alive.
He also clarified that retirees who are yet to get their gratuity must have fallen into the category of those who didn’t submit their papers up to that point.
He further said, ‘From our own Ministry of Establishment and Training, we take care of the teachers, non-teachers, civil servants, the local government commission, as well as judicial service commission staff, which is about N28 billion now, that we are owing. If you look at it from the whole Oyo State, we have almost N64 billion gratuity to settle for all the workers in Oyo State.’
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He, however, urged retirees not to in anyway bribe any government officials to fast track the payment of their gratuities, iterating that, ‘Attempts to bribe any government officials for assistance to fast track payment of gratuities would be a waste. The present administration is open and will not engage in sharp practices or deal.’
He proceeded by saying that, ‘Welfarism is the cardinal point of the Makinde administration and the governor has been diligent in the payment of gratuity of the state retirees since he assumed office.’
He also implored the retirees to make plans for their entitlements so as to avoid wasteful and irrational spending.