Ekiti State governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has presented cheques worth N500 million to about 140 benefiting retired state pensioners.
Governor Oyebanji at a brief event at Jibowu Hall, Ado-Ekiti, assured pensioners in the state that his administration would not relent to clear the backlog of gratuities in order to guarantee their welfare at their old age.
He said the government was not unaware of the hardship caused by the subsidy removal on the senior citizens who had served the state meritoriously for the better part of their lives, and assured that the government would always look for avenues to cushion the effect of the economic situation.
While disclosing that efforts were in top gear to work out modalities on how to clear the backlog of all gratuity arrears, Governor Oyebanji said his administration would also consider the demand for monthly payment of gratuity to pensioners.
2 brothers arraigned over theft of chickens in Ekiti
Physically challenged seeking to study Pharmacy gets support in Katsina
As regards wage award for workers, Governor Oyebanji said his government was already working out a scenario where workers would be taken care of to cushion the effect of subsidy removal on them.
Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Kolapo Olatunde, and his counterpart from the Trade Union Congress, Sola Adigun, opined that the narratives had changed concerning the issues of pension and gratuity payment in the state since the inception of the present administration.
