It was an atmosphere of jubilation and celebration as Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji announced the payment of six hundred and fifty million naira as gratuity to pensioners in the state.
According to the governor, five hundred million naira is to be shared among the state pensioners while their local government counterparts will also share one hundred and fifty million naira.
This has now brought the total amount released for the payment of gratuity by the Oyebanji’s administration to over two billion naira less than one year in office.
The Governor also announced plans to offer special support to pensioners earning below ten thousand naira and also extend the Ekiti State Insurance Scheme to all pensioners, so as to enable them to access health care in any hospital within the state.
All these gestures were announced by the Governor during the 2023 Pensioners’ Day held at the Eagle’s Hall, Ado Ekiti.
The Governor affirmed that pensioners deserve better welfare considering their meritorious services to the nation.
In a remark, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Ekiti State, Comrade Joel Akinola appreciated the governor for all his good deeds for pensioners urging him to sustain the good work.
Comrade Akinola however, pleaded with the governor to ensure the implementation of the consequential adjustment on pension and pay some outstanding benefits of members to ease the current hardship occassioned by the fuel subsidy removal.
He also made some other requests which include, immediate payment of the outstanding arrears of Pensions of 5 months and 2 months owed Local and State Pensioners respectively.
Others are; “immediate 50% Health Care Subsidy for pensioners in Government owned health institutions in the State, immediate implementation of Consequential Adjustments of Pensions of our members, free provision of food items to our members whose monthly pensions are below N50,000 and the vulnerable widows and widowers among our members among others.”