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Ondo Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has reiterated his administration’s commitment to the welfare of pensioners, declaring that the state has made prompt payment of pensions a permanent culture. Aiyedatiwa, who made the declaration at the 2025 Pensioners’ Day celebration held at the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) State Secretariat in Akure, said retirees deserve peace of mind and regular income after years of selfless service to the state and nation. Represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Olusegun Omojuwa, the governor described pensioners as custodians of collective memory and silent architects of the state’s public institutions, noting that their sacrifices laid the foundation for today’s development. He said, “From day one, we took a solemn stand to bring humanity into governance. Every pensioner deserves peace of mind and regular income after years of selfless service. That is why we’ve made prompt payment of pensions a permanent culture”. The Governor disclosed that his administration had released ₦2.396 billion for the payment of gratuities to verified retirees of 2016 and 2017, in addition to ₦2.2 billion paid in 2024 to cover retirees of 2015. The governor added that over ₦2 billion was recently released to clear outstanding arrears owed to local government pensioners across the state. According to him, the state also approved an additional ₦30,000 monthly allowance for retirees to cushion the effects of subsidy removal on senior citizens, describing the payments as acts of justice and compassion. He said, “Every naira represents a lifetime of service. These payments are not acts of charity but of fairness and gratitude,” he stated. Aiyedatiwa assured that his government would continue to clear all outstanding arrears and integrate all registered pensioners into the Ondo State Contributory Health Scheme to ensure access to quality healthcare. He also pledged to rehabilitate the access road leading to the NUP Secretariat as requested by the union, stressing that infrastructural improvements under his administration are designed to enhance the welfare and mobility of all citizens, including the elderly. In his remarks, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Comrade Johnson Osunyemi, hailed the Governor for what he described as an unprecedented commitment to pensioners’ welfare, saying Aiyedatiwa had “restored the dignity” of retirees in the state. Osunyemi said the administration had implemented the 30 percent pension harmonization, raised the minimum pension to ₦30,000, and ensured that no pensioner earns below ₦35,000 monthly. He commended the government for consistent clearance of arrears dating back to 2010 and described Aiyedatiwa as “the pensioners’ loving governor.” In appreciation, the pensioners conferred on Aiyedatiwa the title of Grand Patron of the union — the first time such an honour would be bestowed on a sitting governor in the state. The Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who chaired the event and was represented by former member of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Ifedayo Araoyinbo, lauded the contributions of retirees to national development. The ceremony, which featured cultural displays and goodwill messages, was attended by hundreds of retirees, government officials, and labour leaders, including the Special Adviser to the Governor on Union Matters and Special Duties, Comrade Bola Taiwo, and the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ademola Olapade, who all commended the governor’s record on pensioners’ welfare.
