Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, said that his administration has paid over N70bn as gratuity and pension to retirees in the last three and a half years.
The governor, who stated this at Ijebu-Ode during the Town Hall Meeting on the 2023-2025 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and 2023 Budget for Ogun East Senatorial District, also said the quarterly payment for pensioners had been increased from N500m to N600m.
The governor, who took a swipe at the previous government for failing to pay the retirees their entitlements, said the amount was huge, but his administration was doing the needful to ensure that retirees enjoyed the fruits of their hard work.
This was contained in a statement made available to The PUNCH on Monday.
Abiodun assured workers that their entitlements, ranging from global deductions, leave bonuses and others, would be paid.
The governor also disclosed that the state generated over N70bn from January to September this year as Internal Generated Revenue, saying the various financial policies put in place and the influx of investors have increased the state’s internal revenue.
The governor, while informing that the state economy is on a sustainable mode as all aspects have been touched, also announced that the ground breaking for the construction of seaport at Olokola, would soon be done.
He added that plans have been concluded to extend the Lagos rail project from Okokomaiko to Agbara for easy movements.
Abiodun used to occasion to enumerate some achievements recorded on infrastructure, health, education and agriculture siting Ijebu-Ode- Epe, Oba Erinwole, Igan, Ilisan- Ago- Iwoye and market roads, as examples.
While urging communities with deplorable roads to exercise patient, the governor promised that attention would be given to major roads across the state, as finances improved.
In his opening remarks, the Chief Economic Adviser and Commissioner for Finance, Dapo Okuboyejo, said the meeting was to vigorously engage all stakeholders in the Senatorial District to get their views that would form the basis for next year’s budget.
