Aiyedatiwa Tackles Pension Backlog, Releases N3.82bn to 985 Ondo Retirees
By Akin Alade
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has taken another major step towards addressing years of accumulated pension liabilities in the state, releasing N3.82 billion in gratuities to 985 retired public servants as his administration intensifies efforts to clear inherited obligations to senior citizens.
Beyond the huge financial commitment, the latest intervention sends a strong message about the place of workers’ welfare in the administration’s governance priorities, particularly for retirees who devoted decades of their productive lives to public service.
The beneficiaries comprise 509 retirees from the 2020 batch and 476 outstanding beneficiaries from the 2015 to 2019 batches, covering workers from the mainstream civil service, secondary school teaching and non-teaching services, as well as government parastatals.
Aiyedatiwa Confronts Years of Unpaid Gratuities
Speaking during the flag-off at the Cocoa Conference Centre, Governor’s Office, Alagbaka, Akure, Aiyedatiwa acknowledged that his government inherited billions of naira in outstanding gratuity obligations.
Rather than allowing the liability to continue accumulating, the governor said his administration chose to confront the problem systematically.
The development is particularly significant considering that some of the affected retirees had been waiting for years for benefits earned through decades of service to Ondo State.
For many pensioners, gratuity is more than a government payment. It represents financial security after retirement and provides resources for healthcare, accommodation, family responsibilities and other necessities associated with old age.
985 Retirees to Receive Full Entitlements
One significant aspect of the latest exercise is the decision to pay beneficiaries their full gratuity entitlements rather than instalments or partial payments.
Permanent Secretary of the Ondo State Pension Transition Office, Dr Peter Akingbade, disclosed that beneficiaries were already receiving bank alerts.
The affected retirees include beneficiaries from the 2015 Batch C, 2016 Batch C, 2017 Batch C, 2018 Batch B, 2019 Batch B and 2020 Batch A.
For retirees who have waited years for their benefits, the payment provides both financial relief and renewed confidence that outstanding pension obligations can gradually be eliminated.
From N2.4bn to N3.82bn: Pension Payments Gather Momentum
The latest intervention also comes months after the Aiyedatiwa administration released N2.4 billion in gratuities to retirees from the 2018 and 2019 batches in March 2026.
That earlier payment was similarly presented as part of the government’s commitment to tackling longstanding arrears and ensuring that retirement does not become a period of financial uncertainty.
The latest N3.82 billion exercise therefore indicates a continuing effort rather than an isolated intervention.
Retirees’ Welfare Goes Beyond Gratuity Payments
The administration has also extended its intervention beyond gratuities.
In June, Aiyedatiwa announced the inclusion of retirees in the state’s Orange Health Insurance Scheme (ORANGHIS) at no cost to the pensioners, with the government assuming responsibility for their enrolment.
The policy was introduced against the backdrop of rising healthcare costs and the increased medical needs that often accompany old age.
Taken together, the health insurance initiative and ongoing gratuity payments point towards a broader attempt to strengthen the social protection available to retired public servants.
Pensioners Hail Aiyedatiwa
Ondo State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Comrade Johnson Osunyemi, commended the governor over the intervention, describing Ondo as one of the states making progress in addressing accumulated gratuity obligations.
Aiyedatiwa, meanwhile, described the payment as a “debt of honour”, stressing that government must remember the sacrifices of those who spent their productive years serving the state.
The governor has also pledged that his administration will continue addressing inherited gratuity liabilities, with the ultimate objective of clearing outstanding obligations.
For Ondo’s retirees, however, the significance of the latest payment goes beyond statistics.
After years of waiting, hundreds of former public servants are finally receiving benefits earned through their years of service—a development that could strengthen confidence in the state’s pension system while establishing workers’ welfare as an important measure of responsible governance.
