Dapo Abiodun, the Governor of Ogun State, has granted an instant rise in the quarterly gratuity payment, doubling it from N1 billion to N2 billion. This augmentation amounts to a 100 percent increase in total for pensions across both state and local government levels.
Adesoji Adewuyi, the Permanent Secretary of the Bureau of State Pensions, expressed in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, that this action is another endeavor by the government to ease the difficulties encountered by elderly citizens amidst the current socio-economic challenges in the nation.
Adewuyi revealed that the government has allocated three percent of the gratuity specifically for pensioners facing urgent medical needs or hospital expenses.
In another recent development, Adewuyi emphasized that the state government has taken proactive steps by forming a Consequential Adjustment Committee. This committee has been given a clear directive to meticulously evaluate the monthly earnings of pensioners, ensuring they align with the prevailing economic conditions.
Expounding on this initiative, the permanent secretary elaborated that under the revised framework, monthly pension payments, traditionally subject to review every five years as mandated by law, will now be established at a baseline of N10,000 for those retirees whose income falls below the designated benchmark.
He noted that in 2023, the governor sanctioned the payment, and it is currently being disbursed while awaiting the completion of the comprehensive review of monthly pensions by the Consequential Adjustment Committee.
In his statement, the chairman of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners, NUP, Waheed Oloyede, conveyed appreciation to Governor Abiodun for recognizing the importance of enhancing the quarterly gratuity.
He emphasized that this increase would greatly aid pensioners in navigating the economic difficulties prevalent in the country.
