Ondo Adopts Federal Salary Scale,Set to Recruit Massive Medical Staff

Health sector overhaul, massive employment drives, and unprecedented welfare boosts take center stage in Ondo State as Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa rewrites the playbook on governance and public worker appreciation.

​ValidViewNetwork reports that the Ondo State Government has officially approved the implementation of the federal salary review for medical officers and health workers, positioning the state as an early adopter of the enhanced remuneration structure. To further consolidate this development, the administration has finalized plans to kickstart a fresh recruitment drive for health workers across the state.

​Speaking at the annual get-together and send-off ceremony for retired permanent secretaries and tutors-general in Akure on Wednesday, Governor Aiyedatiwa emphasized that his administration will continuously lean on the deep institutional knowledge of veteran public servants to refine policy execution.

​The governor noted that retired senior civil servants remain invaluable assets whose administrative depth and practical understanding of governance must continue to be harnessed for the development of the state. He further explained that the administration remains open to leveraging the intellectual capital and wealth of experience of retired permanent secretaries and administrators to enhance efficiency in governance.

​ValidViewNetwork reports that several members of the forum of retired heads of service and permanent secretaries have already transitioned into sensitive political roles, a strategic move by the governor to keep seasoned experts in the governance loop. Highlighting the role of the bureaucracy, Governor Aiyedatiwa stressed that the progress recorded by successive administrations in the state would not have been possible without the commitment and professionalism of public servants who drive policy implementation.

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​Addressing the retirees directly, the governor urged them to view retirement not as the end of public service, but as a transition into another phase of contribution where they could mentor younger officers and promote professionalism within the civil service.

​Providing critical updates on civil service reforms, the Head of Service, Mr. Bayo Philip, revealed that approximately 5,000 new appointments have already been made to fortify the state’s workforce. Mr. Philip lauded the governor’s promptness in settling terminal benefits for newly retired permanent secretaries, noting that civil servants in the state have continued to benefit from what he described as a responsive and worker-friendly administration.

​The Head of Service further expanded on historical welfare corrections, stating that the administration had approved accommodation support for about 150 retired graduate headmasters affected by a policy delay dating back to 2009, many of whom had died before intervention. In addition to these measures, the Chairman of the Forum of Ondo State Permanent Secretaries, Segun Odusanya, confirmed that gratuity payments have been progressively extended up to 2019 for state retirees and 2014 for local government pensioners, ValidViewNetwork reports.

​Expressing deep gratitude on behalf of his peers, the representative of the retired permanent secretaries, Mr. Bunmi Alade, remarked that it was a thing of joy to serve and retire. He concluded by adding that the grace of God had been sufficient for those retiring, being part of the programme, ValidViewNetwork reports.

​By adopting the federal salary scale for health workers and actively clearing decades-old pension backlogs, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa is doing more than just expanding the civil service—he is restoring dignity to public labor. Tapping into the reservoir of retired administrative giants while simultaneously onboarding thousands of new youth recruits creates a seamless bridge between experience and innovation. This dual approach to health sector revitalization and workforce motivation sets a formidable benchmark for sustainable state governance across Nigeria.