Okpebholo Releases N1bn For Edo Pensioners’ Gratuities

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has released N1bn to continue the payment of gratuity arrears owed to retired local government and primary school workers in the 2012 batch.

The Chairman of the Edo State Local Government Service Commission, Kabiru Adjoto, announced this on Friday during a meeting with representatives of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners, the Local Government Pensioners Association, the National Union of Local Government Employees and the Local Government Pension Bureau.

Adjoto said that if the previous administration had adopted the current government’s strategy of paying gratuities in instalments, the backlog would have been cleared.

“Today’s event is another clear demonstration of the unwavering commitment of the Government of Edo State, under the purposeful leadership of His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo, to the welfare and well-being of workers and retirees who devoted the greater part of their lives to the service of our dear State.

“Following the successful commencement of gratuity payments to retirees in the 2012 batch early this year, I am pleased to announce that His Excellency has graciously approved and released N1 billion to sustain the exercise.

“This additional intervention will enable the Pension Bureau to continue the payment process, covering the remaining beneficiaries in the 2012 batch and beyond,” Adjoto said.

He added that the governor’s intervention demonstrated his resolve to gradually eliminate the backlog of outstanding gratuities owed to retirees who had served the state meritoriously.

“While we acknowledge that much remains to be done, we are encouraged by the consistent support and commitment of His Excellency. We therefore assure all retirees whose gratuities are still outstanding that the Government remains committed to sustaining this exercise until the backlog is substantially addressed, subject to the availability of funds,” he added.

Responding on behalf of the unions, Claudette Ehannire of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners and Jude Ahabue, Secretary of the National Union of Local Government Employees, commended the governor for the intervention.

They, however, appealed for an increase in subsequent releases to enable the outstanding gratuity arrears to be cleared more quickly.

SOURCE: PUNCH