The Oyo State Government says it has paid gratuities to more than 8,545 pensioners within the last six years, following reforms that raised the state’s monthly allocation for retirees from N100 million to N1 billion.
The Commissioner for Establishments and Training, Salihu Adelabu, disclosed this on Friday during a live programme in Ibadan, noting that the step taken by Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration had greatly reduced the backlog of unpaid entitlements.
According to him, the decision marked a turning point for retirees in the state. “The implementation of ₦80,000 minimum wage positively impacted pensioners’ benefits. The recomputation exercises carried out for those who retired as recently as July last year up till present ensured fair and improved payments, thereby easing the lives of retirees,” he said.
Adelabu revealed that 1,906 pensioners had already received their full gratuities this year alone. “Between May and August, about 1,500 retirees, particularly those whose gratuities were between ₦1 million and ₦3.5 million, were successfully settled. So, over 8,545 pensioners have received their gratuities within the last six years,” he added.
He assured pensioners that the state government was determined to fully clear the backlog before the end of Governor Makinde’s tenure. “The Governor has assured us that no backlog will be left behind. The welfare of our pensioners remains a top priority of this government,” Adelabu said.
The Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, also stressed the administration’s consistency, pointing out that pensioners in Oyo earn more than in any other state. “Pensioners in Oyo State are the envy of their colleagues in all other states of the federation, not only because they get equal welfare attention as active civil servants do from the Governor, but also because their pension and wages rise commensurately with those of active government workers,” he said.
Oyelade noted that since 2019, Makinde had ensured that pension and gratuity payments were made without default, describing it as proof of the governor’s commitment to the elderly.
