Ondo State Governor, Dr Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has once again demonstrated his administration’s unwavering commitment to the welfare of senior citizens with the approval and release of another ₦2.396 billion for the payment of gratuity arrears owed state retirees from 2016 and 2017.
The new disbursement, flagged off on Monday, October 20, 2025, at the Cocoa Conference Centre, Governor’s Office, Akure, comes barely a week after the government paid over ₦1.4 billion to local government and primary school retirees.
Governor Aiyedatiwa described the fresh payment as part of a deliberate and consistent policy to clear all outstanding gratuities and pensions inherited by his administration.
“This is a continuation of our sincerity of purpose and a moral duty to honour those who gave their best years to the growth of Ondo State,” he said. “We remain resolute in ensuring that no retiree is left behind.”
The governor explained that his administration adopted the “year of exit” system as the only basis for gratuity qualification, ensuring transparency and fairness in the process.
He reaffirmed that his government had been releasing ₦180 million monthly to offset gratuity arrears while keeping pension payments regular across both state and local government levels.
Beyond gratuity, Aiyedatiwa highlighted other welfare programmes such as a ₦30,000 monthly fuel subsidy allowance for pensioners, the earlier ₦2.236 billion payment to 2015 retirees, solar-powered streetlight installations, and the O’Datiwa Metering Programme, which has provided over 15,000 meters within one year.
“Retirement is not an end, but a dignified transition deserving honour and respect. Our retirees deserve empathy, not pity,” the governor added.
Earlier in her remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ondo State Pension Transitional Department, Mrs Bunmi Alade, commended the governor for making history by clearing two years of arrears at once, despite competing development priorities.
Also speaking, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Comrade Johnson Osuyemi, lauded the governor’s continued compassion and consistency, describing the payment as “a lifeline that restores dignity to senior citizens who once feared being forgotten.”
The event was graced by dignitaries including the Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji; Chief of Staff, Prince Segun Omojuwa; Head of Service, Mr Bayo Philip; members of the State Executive Council; and several retired officers.
