EKSG to Reduce backlog of Unpaid Pensions and Gratuities of Retired Public Servants

Ekiti State Executive Council held its 11th EXCO meeting of the year 2020, on Wednesday, 17th June. The meeting was a virtual one, as has been the norm in recent times, owing to the COVID–19 Pandemic.

1. The Executive Council considered and approved a Memorandum of the Chairman, presented by the Special Adviser, Investments, Trade, and Innovations, proposing an alternative financial instrument to help speed up payment of over N13.5bn in unpaid gratuities, and N2.7bn in outstanding pensions.

Council noted that despite the government increasing gratuity payments by 900%, from N10 million paid by the previous administration to N100 million monthly, the possibility of some of the retirees receiving their gratuities during their lifetime seemed very remote, hence the need to explore other viable options, to reduce the waiting time for the retirees and pay up as much as 50percent of the outstanding on or before the end of this administration in 2022.

The Council’s approval of the voluntary alternative payment instrument is premised on Governor Kayode Fayemi’s conviction that every worker is worthy of their wages during their life time. Details of the instrument will be made public in due course.

1. The Executive Council approved the Memorandum on the review of the Laws of Ekiti State (2012), which was presented by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice. Ekiti State inaugurated its laws in 2012, with the publication of the 1st Edition of the Laws of Ekiti State in five (5) volumes.

The provisions in the five volumes were last updated in 2009 and some the laws have since become obsolete or repealed. Laws passed by the Ekiti House of Assembly since 2012 till date, are not included in the mentioned five (5) volumes of the first edition. The reviewed laws are to be presented to the Ekiti State House of Assembly for legislative processing, and subsequent passage into law.

Signed
Aare Muyiwa Olumilua
Honourable Commissioner for Information and Values Orientation

Last modified: June 23, 2020