GOVERNOR Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on Monday disclosed that the previous administration in the state left the debt of unpaid gratuity for his administration which runs to about N26 billion, he said, his government met when it came onboard.
The governor made the disclosure, during a symbolic presentation of cheques to some 2013 retirees in the state, held at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan.
Describing the situation as disheartening, Seyi Makinde averred that enough efforts were put into the payment by the immediate-past government, adding that about 6,274 pensioners had not been paid their entitlement as at the time under reference.
He noted: “It is indeed disheartening that previous administrations in the state have left the debt of backlog of unpaid gratuity for this administration which runs to about N26 billion when my administration came onboard.
“Without doubt, this is an alarming figure. Enough efforts were not put into this payment and about 6,274 pensioners in the state had not been paid this entitlement as at the time under reference.”
“This humongous amount could not be left unattended to because my administration is committed to improving the lots of people living in the state in a way that everyone will feel the impact of the government.”
“I have determined to bring relief to the entire workforce in the state and be committed to the welfare of the retirees. This was the reason the monthly release of fund for payment of gratuity was increased from N100 million it had always been, to a sum of N180 million with effect from June, 2019, immediately I came onboard.”
“This connotes that my administration has committed a whooping sum of N1,980,000,000 to this payment from June 2019 to April 2020 and a total number of 886 retired core civil servants, hospital workers, teaching and non-teaching staff have benefitted from the payment,” the governor explained.
Earlier in his address, the Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Oyo State, Mr. Segun Abatan stated that the failure of the past administrations was what the current administration in the state is assiduously addressing with vigour and panache.
“Today, you are presenting another set of retired workers who retired in 2013 their gratuity cheques.”
“It is pertinent to let people know that it was you that increased gratuity from N100 million monthly instituted by Lam Adesina in the year 2001 to N200 million immediately you took over the reign of governance in Oyo State, a whooping 19 solid years difference,” he disclosed.
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