Ekiti State pensioners have expressed their happiness at the fresh lease of life that the state’s elderly population is experiencing under Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s leadership.The release of N4.6 billion by governor Oyebanji for the payment of unpaid gratuities to state and local government pensioners in a single month was unprecedented, according to Joel Akinola, Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners, Ekiti State Branch.
Speaking at the pensioners’ monthly prayer summit, Akinola also expressed gratitude to the governor for gifting a bus to the union that same month. Along with other welfare programs and efforts, the NUP chairman also commended the state government’s free healthcare program for all Ekiti retirees and the funding provided for the construction of the union’s guest home.
He urged Oyebanji, meanwhile, to “consider settling the remaining one month’s pension owedtolocalgovernment pensioners” and to put up specific recreation facilities for the elderly in each of the state’s 16 local government districts. In addition to the N10,000 monthly palliative payment for all pensioners, he expressed gratitude for the recent payout of over N3.2billion for state pensions and N1.4 billion for local government pensioners as part of the gratuity debt clearing.
“We sincerely appreciate the governor’s persistent commitment to our well-being, which is demonstrated by the payment of state pensioners’ arrears and the noteworthy advancements made in resolving the arrears of local government pensioners,” Akinola stated.
“This has significantly improved our financial capacity, particularly when it comes to buying medications and maintaining a healthy diet,” he continued.
“As retirees, we have a human right to participate in society in some capacity. For this reason, we urge the governor to set up these leisure facilities so that our citizens may get together, mingle, and unwind.After years of work and retirement, our members in the local government regions require thecentrestounwindandrediscoverwhatit’slike to have a social life once more,” he emphasized.
