Aiyedatiwa Flags Off ₦2.4bn Gratuity Payout to Ondo Retirees

AKURE – In a decisive move to clear the backlog of inherited terminal benefits, the Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, on Monday commenced the disbursement of ₦2,466,336,304 to pensioners who retired from the state public service in 2018 and 2019.

​The Governor, speaking at the flag-off ceremony held at the Cocoa Conference Centre in Akure, declared that his administration refuses to “play politics” with the welfare of senior citizens. He emphasized that the payment is not a mere administrative gesture but a “moral obligation” to those who dedicated their productive years to the development of the Sunshine State.

​Restoring Dignity to Senior Citizens

​Addressing a hall filled with retirees, Governor Aiyedatiwa lamented the hardships many had faced due to delayed payments, noting that some unfortunately passed away before their entitlements could be processed.

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​”Retirement should be a period of rest and dignity, not one of uncertainty and anguish,” the Governor stated. “Despite competing fiscal demands, we have prioritized this ₦2.4 billion intervention because we believe in doing what is right over what is convenient.”

​The Governor further assured those still waiting for their arrears that the government has established robust mechanisms to ensure the remaining backlog is cleared within the shortest possible timeframe.

​Breakdown of Beneficiaries

​According to Dr. Peter Akingbade, the Permanent Secretary of the Ondo State Pension Transitional Department, a total of 733 retirees are set to receive their full payments under this phase. The breakdown includes:

• ​391 retirees from the 2018 batch.
• ​342 retirees from the 2019 batch.

​The beneficiaries are drawn from the mainstream civil service, parastatals, and both teaching and non-teaching staff of secondary schools across the state. This follows a previous disbursement in January 2026, where over ₦1 billion was paid to the 2015, 2016, and 2017 (Batch B) retirees.

​Institutional Support and Healthcare

​Beyond the financial disbursements, Governor Aiyedatiwa urged the senior citizens to enroll in the Ondo State Health Insurance Scheme (ORANGHIS), which the state has heavily subsidized to provide affordable medical care for the elderly.

​In his remarks, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) in Ondo State, Mr. Johnson Osunyemi, expressed profound gratitude, describing the Governor’s consistent support—including the recent donation of an 18-seater bus to the union—as a landmark in the history of retiree welfare in the state.

​”The Governor has shown himself to be a friend of the pensioners,” Osunyemi said. “These actions are not just for the present but for posterity.”

​The government has advised retirees who are yet to be verified to complete their documentation promptly to ensure they are captured in the ongoing, continuous payment cycle.