Ondo State Governor, Dr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Monday, October 20, 2025, brought smiles to the faces of hundreds of retired civil servants as he flagged off the bulk payment of ₦2.396 billion gratuity arrears to retirees who left the state service in 2016 and 2017.
The event, held at the Cocoa Conference Centre, Governor’s Office, Akure, marked another milestone in Governor Aiyedatiwa’s commitment to clear the backlog of pension and gratuity arrears inherited by his administration.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Governor described the exercise as part of a deliberate and well-structured policy to ensure that every retiree receives their entitlements in a fair, transparent, and timely manner.
According to him, the disbursement was not a coincidence but the outcome of consistent planning, coming barely a week after his administration paid over ₦1.4 billion to local government and primary school retirees.
“This is a culmination of our administration’s sincerity of purpose and unwavering resolve to honour men and women who gave their strength, intellect, and years of service to the development of Ondo State,” Governor Aiyedatiwa said.
He explained that his government adopted the ‘year of exit’ method as the sole criterion for gratuity qualification to eliminate bias and confusion in the process, adding that retirement should be seen as a dignified transition deserving of honour and fairness.
Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to pensioners’ welfare, the Governor stated:
“We are resolutely committed to clearing all backlog of gratuity obligations. Our retirees deserve empathy, honour, and respect. This is not an act of favour; it is a moral and constitutional duty we hold dear.”
Governor Aiyedatiwa noted that since assuming office, his administration has consistently released ₦180 million monthly to defray gratuity arrears while ensuring regular payment of pensions at both the state and local government levels.
He also highlighted other welfare initiatives, including the payment of ₦2.236 billion to 2015 retirees, a ₦30,000 monthly allowance for pensioners as fuel subsidy support, the installation of solar-powered streetlights, road beautification projects, investments in digital infrastructure, and the O’Datiwa Metering Programme, which has installed over 15,000 meters within a year.
In addition, he mentioned the approval of a six-kilometre road linking Scab Filling Station to Imafon and the establishment of the State Senior Secondary Education Board as part of his administration’s broad development agenda.
While expressing gratitude to labour leaders, pension administrators, and senior citizens for their patience and cooperation, the Governor assured that his government would remain people-oriented and responsive to citizens’ welfare, particularly during economic hardship.
He also encouraged retirees to enrol in the Ondo State Health Insurance Scheme for accessible healthcare, emphasizing that “health is the foundation of happiness and longevity.”
Earlier in her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ondo State Pension Transitional Department, Bunmi Alade, commended the Governor for prioritizing retirees’ welfare despite the state’s competing developmental demands.
Alade disclosed that the ₦2.396 billion disbursement marked the first time in the state’s history that gratuity arrears for two full years were cleared simultaneously.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Ondo State Chapter, Comrade Johnson Osuyemi, lauded Governor Aiyedatiwa for his consistent efforts in addressing the welfare and financial concerns of pensioners.
Osuyemi noted that the Governor had restored hope to retirees who had endured years of uncertainty and delay in receiving their benefits, describing the ongoing monthly payments as “a
