On Tuesday, 537 retirees in Oyo State received cheques totalling N1.5 billion for various gratuities as part of another payment segment.

The gratuities were said to have been paid to retired local government staff, retired primary school teachers and next of kin of deceased staff across the 33 local government areas of the state.

At the presentation of cheques at the State Secretariat, Ibadan, the Chairman, Local Government Staff Pension Board, Prince Adebayo Adeyemi urged the beneficiaries not to squander the sums of money they are getting.

He also asserted the continued commitment of the Governor ‘Seyi Makinde-led government to clear the backlog of various salaries owed pensioners over the years.

Adeyemi noted that the Oyo State governor is a man of the people whose legacy is to care for the course of the pensioners and particularly the welfare of the people of the state.

He said: “The present administration met unbelievable unpaid arrears of gratuity of a sum of over forty billion naira and as of today the government of Seyi Makinde has paid over fourteen billion naira out of this amount.

“I’m glad to inform you that today’s exercise is going to gulp a sum of one billion, five hundred million naira to be disbursed to beneficiaries ranging from alive retirees of primary schools service, local governments, those with serious health challenges and the next of kin of the deceased pensioners”, he added.

While commending the gesture and honest purpose of the government to the welfare services of aged retirees, he stated that those who retired from May 2019 to date are already captured in this current exercise.

“The governor has promised to solve all the associated problems with the outstanding arrears of gratuity and other retirement benefits of our dear pensioners.

“We should therefore continue to pray for him and support his administration to succeed and bring more development to the state”, he added.

Giving various instances, the Secretary of Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Oyo state, Mr Segun Abatan, warned the beneficiaries against committing funds into ventures that are not grounded in its management.

In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Local Government Staff Pension Board, Alhaji Lukman Muraina also appreciated the Oyo State Government and the leaders of the pensioners in the state for their support and cooperation.

He, however, appealed to the people to continue to support the government, assuring them that they will not be disappointed.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs Oluyemisi Tella said the continuous payment of pensions and gratuities by the current administration demonstrated the state governor as a kind and committed person.

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