Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has disclosed that his administration has disbursed over N47 billion in gratuities to retirees since taking office in November 2022.

This figure significantly exceeds the combined N34.4 billion paid by his predecessors, Rauf Aregbesola and Adegboyega Oyetola, over a 12-year period.

Governor Adeleke made this announcement on Monday in Osogbo during the presentation of bond certificates worth N1.9 billion to contributory pensioners from state and local government services.

He used the event to underscore his administration’s unwavering commitment to the welfare of retirees and its prioritization of social justice.

The governor pointed out that his administration’s achievements in less than two years reflect a clear focus on addressing the plight of pensioners, a group that has often faced neglect in the past.

“As of 2018, the total gratuity payments made by former Governor Aregbesola stood at N17.15 billion, while former Governor Oyetola’s payments as of 2022 amounted to N17.25 billion.

Together, the two administrations paid N34.4 billion over a span of 12 years,” Adeleke noted.

He added, “In contrast, my administration has paid N22.67 billion for state pensions and N25 billion for local government pensions, bringing our total payments to over N47 billion in just two years.

This means we have paid almost 70 percent of what the previous APC administrations managed to pay in over a decade.”

Governor Adeleke reiterated his administration’s resolve to reform the pension system, ensure timely disbursements, and address grievances among retirees.

He emphasized that his government views the welfare of senior citizens as a moral obligation and central to its policies.

“The well-being of our retirees is at the heart of our administration’s goals.

We are determined to ensure that pensioners are treated with dignity and receive their entitlements without delay,” he said.