Trending 
Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has approved the disbursement of ₦2.396 billion in gratuity payments to retired civil servants who left the state service in 2016 and 2017.
The announcement was made during a flag-off ceremony at the Cocoa Conference Hall of the Governor’s Office in Akure, where beneficiaries were presented with their cheques.
According to a statement posted on the state government’s official X account on Monday, October 20, the payment forms part of the administration’s commitment to clear outstanding gratuities accumulated for over a decade by previous governments.
“The Ondo State Governor, Dr Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has authorised the payment of ₦2.396 billion in gratuity arrears for retirees who exited the state civil service in 2016 and 2017 — another milestone in the government’s ongoing effort to offset inherited pension debts,” the statement read.
During the event, Aiyedatiwa said the gesture followed the recent release of ₦1.4 billion for local government and primary school retirees.
“This is not a coincidence but the result of deliberate planning and a commitment to fairness.
“Our retirees deserve empathy, honour, and respect — this is not a favour but a moral and constitutional obligation,” the governor hinted.
He further explained that his government adopted the “year of exit” approach to ensure fairness and transparency in payments.
Aiyedatiwa also revealed that ₦180 million is released monthly to reduce gratuity arrears while maintaining prompt pension disbursements.
The governor highlighted other welfare measures, including ₦2.236 billion previously paid to 2015 retirees, a ₦30,000 monthly fuel subsidy for pensioners, and continued investments in infrastructure, education, and digital metering.
Permanent Secretary, Mrs Bunmi Alade, described the simultaneous clearance of two years of arrears as a first in Ondo State’s history.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners, Osuyemi, commended the governor for restoring dignity and hope to long-suffering retirees.
Reports indicate that in the previous year, Aiyedatiwa also approved ₦3.2 billion for the settlement of outstanding gratuities owed to pensioners under the State Pension Scheme. Of this amount, ₦1 billion was directed to cover gratuities for local government retirees from 2012 and 2013, while ₦2.2 billion addressed the 2015 arrears owed to state pensioners.
