Ekiti not owing pensioners, govt tackles NUP leaders

By Boye Oyeyemi –

The Ekiti State Government has denied claims that it is owing pensioners, insisting that retirees in the state are receiving their entitlements as due.

The Adviser to the Governor on Pension Matters, Mr Pius Oduola, stated this in a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti on Monday in response to allegations by the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners.

Oduola said the administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji had consistently prioritised the welfare of pensioners, including the settlement of inherited pension and gratuity liabilities.

He faulted the NUP leadership for threatening legal action over check-off dues, describing the move as unfortunate and self-serving rather than beneficial to retirees.

According to him, the government had already released the deducted check-off dues directly to pensioners, a step he said frustrated what he described as the ulterior motives of some union leaders.

Oduola maintained that the state was no longer owing pensions, adding that outstanding gratuities were inherited from past administrations and were being steadily reduced despite limited financial resources.

He said the Oyebanji administration had ensured regular payment of monthly pensions, increased pension benefits, provided free healthcare for retirees, and offered periodic financial and material support to vulnerable pensioners.

The adviser disclosed that the government had reduced the gratuity backlog from about ₦48bn to less than ₦18bn within three years, alongside special releases of funds to fast-track payments.

He described claims that the government had neglected pensioners as misleading, insisting that many retirees had continued to commend the administration for its pension-friendly policies.

Oduola urged union leaders to prioritise the collective interest of pensioners, stressing that constructive engagement with government remained the most effective way to improve retirees’ welfare.