The governor of the State of Osun, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, said his administration had released about the sum of Thirty-five Billion Naira (N 35,000,000,000) to offset pension arrears in the state since assuming office in November 2018.
Oyetola, who made this disclosure on Wednesday, at the celebration of year 2021 Civil Service Week public lecture and award event, said the sum was to cater for every category of pensioners.
Oyetola enjoined retired officers to continue to show understanding and support for his administration, adding that his government was committed to repositioning Osun and stimulate its economy for prosperity and abundance.
Oyetola, who also presented Retirement Bond to officers, urged beneficiaries of the bond to utilise them well by investing them in productive ventures that will bring values to their families.
“As a government, we will not relent in prioritising the welfare of our active and retired workers in the State. We will continue to pay workers’ entitlements despite the harsh economic conditions arising from national economic challenges.
“We have consistently released N 509million on a monthly basis to cater for pensioners under the old pension scheme, while not leaving out those on Contributory Pension Scheme.
“We have (recently) released the sum of One Billion, Six Hundred and Forty-Four Million (N 1,644,000,000) for the payment of outstanding pensions and gratuities of retired civil servants”, Oyetola said.
In his remark, the Head of Service, Dr Festus Olowogboyega Oyebade, lauded Oyetola’s commitment to the welfare of active and retired civil servants, describing his interventions as unprecedented.
According to Oyebade, “Governor Oyetola has supported both the living and the dead among civil servants. In the last few months. Even when we lost three Permanent Secretaries , His Excellency approved the sum of One Million Naira for each family for funeral arrangements.
“For the living, the records are full. He has not failed for once to pay our full salaries – this has been like a vaccine to individual’s living standard and the State’s economy.
“Today, over a billion naira bond will be given to deserving retirees. As we speak, we have captured contributory pension to August 2018. Do you know that additionally, today, 108 retirees who are junior and intermediate retirees placed for payment from August 2018 to 31st December, 2020 will receive their bonds, courtesy of Governor Oyetola?”, Oyebade said.
Also, Elder Moses Inaolaji Aboaba, the Pioneer Head of Service of Osun State Civil Service at the creation of the State in 1991, lauded the synergy between the civil service and the present political leadership in Osun, describing it as a sign of better things to come.
“We thank the Governor for his commitment to building an upright civil service, and an upright civil service is a great asset to any state”, Aboaba said
