The Ondo State Government has started the release of ₦3.82 billion to settle gratuity owed to 985 retired workers across the state.
The payment covers 509 retirees from the 2020 retirement batch, as well as 476 others from batches between 2015 and 2019. The beneficiaries cut across the mainstream civil service, secondary education sector and state-owned parastatals.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, while launching the disbursement on Wednesday, said the exercise was part of his administration’s efforts to resolve the backlog of unpaid entitlements inherited from earlier governments.
“This is a debt of honour,” the governor said, stressing that government had a responsibility to fulfil its obligations to workers who had served the state.
Aiyedatiwa said his government had developed a structured plan to gradually clear the billions of naira in outstanding gratuities owed to former public servants.
He further assured retirees that all inherited gratuity debts would be settled before the expiration of his tenure.
According to him, government must not focus solely on new projects while neglecting financial commitments to people who had contributed their years of service to the state.
He added that the welfare of retirees would remain an important part of his administration’s policies, assuring them that those who had served the state would not be forgotten after retirement.
The Pension Transition Office said the affected retirees would receive their complete gratuity entitlements, rather than receiving only portions of the money owed to them.
The office also called on retirees who were yet to conclude the necessary verification procedures to complete the process so they could be considered for future disbursements.
Retirees’ representatives and officials of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners praised the state government for commencing the payment, describing it as an important step towards resolving outstanding pension-related obligations.
Some beneficiaries also welcomed the development, saying the funds would offer financial relief after years of waiting for their entitlements.
The latest disbursement forms part of the state government’s broader plan to eliminate accumulated gratuity arrears and improve the welfare of retired workers.
Aiyedatiwa maintained that his administration would continue to honour its financial commitments to retirees while also implementing other development projects across Ondo State.
