Oyo State governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has approved the increment of monthly payment of pensions and gratuities of retirees in the state and local government areas.
The governor revealed this at the 70th birthday celebration of the Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Oyo State chapter, Comrade Segun Abatan. The party celebration held at Pensioners’ House, Agbarigo, Ibadan on Saturday.
This was stated in a statement by the Special Adviser (Media) to the governor, Sulaimon Olanrewaju. The increment, which took effect from 25 July, 2024, was from N456million to N1billion.
Makinde noted that his administration inherited huge unpaid pensions and gratuities. He said the state had paid about N52billion for pensions and gratuities, both at the state and local government levels since 2019.
He promised that his administration would intensify efforts to ensure that a substantial part of the backlog, if not all, is cleared before the expiration of his current tenure in 2027.
While congratulating the celebrant, Governor Makinde described Comrade Abatan as a great man whose focus is the welfare of members of his union.
The governor said: “He is a very committed Comrade. For him, it is always about the welfare of his members. He has never come to me for any personal thing.
“He is a very good man and we are proud of his contribution to the development of the state and his commitment to the welfare of pensioners in the state.”
The governor was the chief launcher of the biography of Comrade Abatan, A Prisoner of Conscience, presented at the occasion.
He urged all and sundry in the state to read the book to have an understanding of what makes the NUP scribe tick.
In his remarks, Comrade Abatan thanked the governor for honouring his request for increment in the monthly payment of pensions and gratuities to the retirees. He described the step taken by the governor as the best birthday gift he could get.
Abatan also thanked the governor for clearing part of the inherited unpaid pensions and gratuities.
He said the Makinde administration is the best the state has ever had with respect to pensioners’ welfare.
“The administration has not witnessed pensioners’ grievance and will never witness it because of the governor’s good deeds to us”, he added.
