Oyo Pensioners Hold Thank You Rally For Governor Makinde Over Pension Review
Pensioners from all geopolitical zones of Oyo State have converged on the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, in their hundreds to appreciate the state governor for turning around their fortunes through the recent review of pensions in the state.
The pensioners, under the aegis of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Oyo State Council, stated that the review has made Oyo State pensioners the highest paid state pensioners in the federation.
This was as the NUP, South-West Zonal Council, also lauded Governor Makinde for the review of pensions, which led to the payment of N25,000 as minimum pension to the least paid pensioner.
The South-West NUP, in a letter dated 12th February 2025, signed by its chairman Waidi Oloyede and secretary, Sunday Akin, expressed its gratitude to the governor.
Speaking at the appreciation rally, the Secretary of the NUP, Oyo State Council, Olusegun Abatan, in a speech entitled “Resurrected Pensioners in Oyo State Appreciate Engineer Seyi Makinde” praised the governor for changing the plight of pensioners.
He maintained that the governor started on a great note when he assumed office in 2019 by paying gratuities that were held down for a whole eight years started paying pensions on the 25th of every month and crowned the efforts with the latest review of pensions after all entreaties to previous administrations failed.
Responding, Governor Makinde, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal, said that his government would continue to remain committed to the welfare of pensioners and improvement of their standard of living.
The governor commended the pensioners and their leadership for showing gratitude to his government, stating that his government knows the importance of prioritising the welfare of pensioners, who had contributed 35 years of their lives to the development of the state during their active service years.
He noted that in 2019, the gratuities and pension arrears owed by past administrations were to the tune of about N61 billion, but his government has been able to offset a huge chunk of the debt, declaring that the administration would offset the debt before the expiration of its second tenure in May 2027.
