Ekiti state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has approved monthly release of N100m to clear accumulated gratuities of retired workers in the state.
According to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Yinka Oyebode, on Monday, Fayemi said this is a further demonstration of his administration’s commitment to the welfare of workers and pensioners.
The governor had last month approved a hundred percent increase in monthly gratuity payment from N10 million to N20 million.
However, taking into consideration the current plight of many retired workers, who could not access their gratuity several years after their retirement owing to the paltry amount for gratuity payment, Fayemi has directed the Ministry of Finance to further increase the monthly gratuity payment to N100 million per month. “This was the amount paid per month during his first term,” it stated.
It added that the directive takes immediate effect pending the time the state government would be able to find a creative approach to resolve the huge outstanding gratuity obligations of the state.
It noted that the governor believes the increment will go a long way in ameliorating the plight of the state’s pensioners.
Similarly, Fayemi has also approved the payment of severance allowance and outstanding salaries of 19 former members of the Ekiti State House of Assemblies and their aides who were denied their entitlement by the immediate past administration of Mr Ayodele Fayose.
Fayemi believes it is unjust to deny workers their wages, saying that his administration will ensure that workers and pensioners get their entitlements as and when due.
