The attention of the Oyo State government has been drawn to the allegations that some pensioners in the State are being extorted by unscrupulous elements claiming to be government officials.
In a statement released by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade , the state is paying due diligence to the payment of the gratuities for its retirees more than the previous administrations
The Commissioner revealed that with the new monthly allocation, over 800 retirees will benefit each month, compared to just 250 beneficiaries in previous years.
He said that a cartel has been operating within the civil service and that Government is narrowing down on the criminals.
He said that retired civil and public servants are being asked to pay 5% to 10% of their gratuities to these cartels to fast-track payments.
‘This malpractice is unfortunately longstanding. The issue has persisted over the years, even during the tenure of former governor, His Excellency Lam Adesina, and continues to affect unsuspecting pensioners till today” he said.
“Those behind the extortions and their accomplices know themselves. Despite repeated warnings to pensioners to be cautious, some still fall victims to these schemes.”
Prince Oyelade said that these illegal practices are not limited to state pensions but also affect local government staff pensioners.
While highlighting government efforts to improve pension disbursement, the commissioner recalled that gratuities were not paid between 2011–2016 until the arrears were cleared by Governor Seyi Makinde.
He added that Governor Makinde has increased monthly gratuity release by 200 percent, raising total allocations from ₦1 billion to ₦3 billion monthly; hence, no back-door payment is required for the processing of gratuities or entitlements, urging retirees to follow the established system of monthly disbursement and report any suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities.
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