Governor Abiodun okays N1.9bn gratuity to 685 LG pensioners

The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has approved the disbursement of N1.9 billion gratuity to 685 Local Government pensioners in a show of concern for the well-being of the senior citizens.

Governor Abiodun had, in August 2023, directed the Bureau of Local Government Pensions and the state Pension to commence the payment of N1 billion to the senior citizens.

Speaking on this latest directive from the governor during a meeting with the executives of the Association of Retired Primary School Teachers, Local Government Pensioners Association and Retired Primary School Teachers Association of Nigeria, held in her office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the Permanent Secretary of the bureau, Mrs Olubukola Adeniregun, said the present dispensation is not handling pensioners matters with levity.

Adeniregun noted that the present administration was deeply concerned about the yawning gap between the payment of gratuity of LG and state government retirees, positing that the gesture was the governor’s passionate consideration of the various appeals and clarion calls to bridge the gap, adding that a total of 685 retirees would benefit from the recent disbursement.

Adeniregun also pointed out that it takes only a government that means well to be concerned about the status of those, who have served the state diligently in the course of their service.

She stated that Abiodun remains resolute about enhancing the living standard of the LG retirees, particularly to be at parity in the scheme of remuneration and other welfare packages with state pensioners.

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“From his inception as the Governor of Ogun State, you will agree with me that Prince Dapo Abiodun has lived up to his promises for the senior citizens. Need I remind you that, he is the governor who raised the quarterly payment of gratuity of pensioners from N500 million to N1 billion, and as we speak, the pensioners are also included in the 6-month extension of cash palliative being paid to serving workers on a monthly basis,” she said.

Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Foluke Salami and Mr. Noah Bakare, who retired as a primary school teacher and an LG worker respectively, appreciated the governor for the payment.

They implored him to continue the disbursement of their gratuity so that other pensioners still on the waiting list could also benefit.