0
0
ONDO TO BEGIN BULK PAYMENT OF ARREARS OF GRATUITY FOR 2014 LG RETIREES MONDAY
As part of efforts to improve the quality of lives of senior citizens, Ondo State government is set to begin bulk payment of Gratuity Arrears of 2014 Local Government retirees and Primary School Teachers on Monday.
According to the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Amidu Takuro, successive governments owed gratuities or at most paid in piece meal and only those who were well connected enjoyed such privilege.
Takuro explained that the State Governor, Dr Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, felt the pains of these retirees and decided to clear the backlog of gratuities his predecessors were unable to pay.
“ For those that retired between 2010 – 2013, we have paid almost 12 billion Naira because these people have provided their services meritoriously to the people of Ondo State”.
“They have retired for many years and they haven’t been paid , though not under this administration but government is a continuum.
“Mr Governor is passionate about these people and has taken good leadership step to address the situation. On Monday, we will pay the 2014 retirees of the Local Government”.
The Commissioner said it was worrisome that some retirees would try to negotiate with him in order to be paid their gratuities, the offer which he said he rebuffed.
“When I resumed in this office, 80 per cent of people that came to my office for help were pensioners; they would even be negotiating , telling me that they would give me particular percentage just for them to be paid their gratuities”.
“ I felt sorry for them and I said we must do something to address their plights and that they don’t need to know me before they receive their gratuities.
“Though we still have a long way to go in the payment of gratuities, with the purposeful leadership of Governor Aiyedatiwa, we are convinced that all these would soon become a thing of the past”, Takuro stressed.
About The Author
