Ogun: Abiodun reiterates commitment to pay pension arrears

Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun assured pensioners in the state over the weekend that pension payments would still receive priority attention within available resources.

“Following the promise made in 2021 to pay at least 500 million naira quarterly on unpaid gratuities owed by the previous administration since 2011, we have been religiously paying when due.

"Government bought out the pledge by making the payment of N500 million in the first quarter of 2022, totaling N2.5 billion paid. Another is on the way and there will be no stopping it for the second quarter of this year.

"If our predecessors had done the same since 2011, more than 16 billion naira would have been disbursed," the governor's chief press secretary, Kunle Somorin, told Abeokuta.

He said the payments were all liabilities inherited from previous administrations, also adding that the tip payment process could not be faulted.

“Just last week, we inaugurated a committee on the review of contributory pension schemes and the consequent adjustment of pensions to ensure improved welfare for the public, civil servants and retirees.

“This step is in line with the protocol of action signed by the government of Ogun State and the state branch of the Nigeria Labor Congress,” he stressed.

The statement urged retiree leaders to be careful in their remarks about the state of their retirement liabilities, especially against an administration that prioritizes their well-being.

While appreciating retirees for their patience and understanding, Abiodun posited that his administration cannot pay all retirees owed before he took office, in just three years.

While assuring that efforts would be made to put smiles on the faces of retirees, the governor however said he sympathized and shared the plight of retirees, saying his administration would continue to bring them well-being and well-being -be -be priority.