The Ogun State government has countered the claims by the chairman of the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, NUP, Waheed Oloyede, that only N3 billion had so far been released for the payment of arrears of gratuity and pensions.
Oloyede had at a press conference in Abeokuta, said that the incumbent administration in the state did not pay N70 billion to defray outstanding gratuities, but N3 billion, which he claimed was too low.
But a statement by the Chief Press Secretary, CPS, to the Ogun State governor, Kunle Somorin, faulted the position of the state NUP chairman and declared that a sum of N78 billion had been released between 2019 and 2022.
Somorin averred that a record of the statement of monthly breakdown and analysis of the Ogun State gratuity and pension payment indicated that a total sum of N78,567,913,997.48, had been released for the purpose.
Somorin added that the Governor Dapo Abiodun-led administration decided to increase the quarterly payment from N500 million to N600 million, to expedite payment of the gratituities.
He noted that the incumbent administration, despite the financial challenge, would continue to give top priority to the welfare of the senior citizens, by ensuring the quarterly payment of the gratuities and pensions.
