Governor Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has officially commenced the disbursement of ₦1.4 billion to pensioners who retired from local government and primary education sectors in 2014.
This payment underscores his administration’s ongoing dedication to addressing the backlog of unpaid gratuities owed to retired public servants across the state.
At the launch event held in Akure, Governor Aiyedatiwa emphasized that this initiative builds upon the bulk gratuity payment scheme he pioneered during his tenure as Deputy Governor. The program was designed to eliminate outstanding retirement benefits and rebuild trust among retirees.
He highlighted that the current payout follows a transparent and systematic approach, where eligibility is strictly determined by the year of retirement, ensuring fairness and predictability in the process.
“This effort began when I was Deputy Governor. I proposed the plan to the then-Governor, who approved it, allowing us to start setting aside funds regularly. Whenever the state receives adequate allocations, we allocate resources specifically to settle retirees’ gratuities. Now, as Governor, I am fully committed to continuing this practice,” he stated.
“The payment exercise we are undertaking today adheres to our policy of using the year of exit as the sole criterion for gratuity disbursement. We are grateful to God for enabling us to renew hope among pensioners who had long feared their benefits would never be fully paid after years of dedicated service to the state and society.”
“By initiating bulk payments for the 2014 retirees, we reaffirm our commitment to supporting the elderly and vulnerable groups, consistent with the core objectives of this administration. Our goal is to maintain a transparent, predictable system based solely on retirement year, ensuring equitable treatment for all beneficiaries.”
The Governor also noted that the payments made to pensioners from 2011, 2012, and 2013 under his leadership marked a historic milestone for Ondo State.
“Having completed payments for 2014, we are preparing to clear 2015 and subsequent years, aiming to settle all outstanding gratuities. Since taking office, we have prioritized pensioners’ welfare, making Ondo one of the few states in Nigeria to increase the flat pension rate to ₦30,000, helping to alleviate the impact of the global economic challenges on our retirees,” he added.
Governor Aiyedatiwa concluded by affirming that timely pension payments are not merely accomplishments but fundamental moral and constitutional responsibilities of his administration.
