Ondo begins ₦3.82bn gratuity payment to 985 retirees

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Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has flagged off the payment of ₦3.82 billion in gratuities to 985 retirees across the state.

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The beneficiaries comprise 509 retirees from the 2020 batch and 476 retirees from the 2015–2019 batches, drawn from the mainstream civil service, secondary schools and state parastatals.

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In a post on its X handle on Wednesday, speaking at the flag-off ceremony, Aiyedatiwa described the payment as a “debt of honour”, saying his administration was committed to clearing the gratuity arrears inherited from previous administrations.

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Aiyedatiwa said the state inherited billions of naira in outstanding gratuity obligations but had adopted a systematic approach to settling the debts.

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“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.

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He pledged to clear all inherited gratuity arrears before the end of his tenure, noting that governance was not only about initiating new projects but also about addressing outstanding obligations.

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According to him, his administration would continue to prioritise the welfare of retirees and ensure that those who served the state were not abandoned after leaving active service.

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The Pension Transition Office confirmed that the beneficiaries would receive their full gratuity entitlements rather than partial payments.

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The office also urged retirees who were yet to complete the required verification process to do so to enable them to benefit from subsequent payments.

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Representatives of the retirees and the Nigeria Union of Pensioners commended the governor for the payment, describing it as a significant development in the state’s efforts to address pension-related obligations.

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The retirees expressed appreciation to the state government, saying the payment would provide relief to beneficiaries who had waited for years to receive their entitlements.

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The latest payment brings the state closer to its stated objective of clearing inherited gratuity arrears and improving the welfare of retired public servants.

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Aiyedatiwa reiterated his commitment to settling outstanding obligations to retirees while pursuing other development programmes across the state.

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