Ondo Government Commences Payment of ₦3.82bn Retirees’ Entitlements

The Ondo State Government has commenced the payment of ₦3.82 billion in outstanding gratuities to 985 retired public servants across the state.

The beneficiaries include 509 retirees from the 2020 batch and 476 retirees from batches between 2015 and 2019. They were drawn from the mainstream civil service, secondary schools and various state-owned agencies.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony on Wednesday, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa described the payment as a “debt of honour” owed to workers who had dedicated years of service to the state.

The governor said his administration inherited billions of naira in unpaid gratuity obligations but had adopted a systematic approach to clearing the arrears.

According to Aiyedatiwa, the government is determined to settle all inherited gratuity debts before the end of his tenure.

He stressed that governance should not be limited to launching new projects, but should also include fulfilling outstanding obligations to citizens and former public servants.

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

The office also advised retirees who had not completed the required verification process to do so, enabling them to qualify for future payments.

Representatives of the retirees and the Nigeria Union of Pensioners commended the state government for the initiative, describing it as an important step towards resolving pension-related challenges in Ondo State.

The beneficiaries also expressed appreciation, saying the payments would provide significant relief after years of waiting for their entitlements.

The latest disbursement brings Ondo State closer to its goal of clearing inherited gratuity arrears and improving the welfare of retired public servants.

Governor Aiyedatiwa reaffirmed that his administration would continue to prioritise the welfare of retirees while implementing other development programmes across the state.

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