As part of efforts to offset gratuities arrears owed pensioners in Ogun State, Ogun State has increased the quarterly payment of gratuities from N600million to N1billion.
Just as he said that his administration was not unmindful of the plight of the senior citizens, disclosing that a special arrangement had been made by the government to take care of those who need urgent medical treatment.
Speaking at an interactive session with pensioners in the State, at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, the Governor informed that the present government met an arrears of over N80billion and had since fashioned out ways of offsetting it.
According to Abiodun, “when we came in, we met pension arrears of over N80billion. We started paying N500million at a time. We later increased it to N600million monthly. If the previous government had been paying, we would not be where we are today.
“I am expecting about N280billion from the Federal Government being the money we spent for the construction of federal roads. I can assure you that as soon as I get that money, I will pay between N10 – N18billion as pensions and gratuities”, the Governor promised.
Prince Abiodun who disclosed that no gratuity was paid from 2012 up to when he assumed office, announced an increment of N 15,000 for pensioners who collect N5,000 monthly pension, wondering how people would survive with such a paltry amount at this difficult time.
Government, he said, has devised various ways including providing needed infrastructure, security and enabling environment for more investments aimed at increasing the Internally Generated Revenue of the State, appealing to the people to be patient with the government, as efforts were in top gear to attend to their issues.
Speaking earlier, the State Chairman, Nigeria Union of Pensions, Alhaji Waheed Oloyede, called for regular interface between the pensioners and the State government to enable them solve any impending issue.