Oriire Abduction: Oyo Approves Payment Of Death Benefits To Slained Teachers, Students

Oyo State government has approved immediate payments of death benefits of the teachers who were killed during the abduction of teachers and students that happened in the Oriire local government of the state in May this year.

Speaking through the chairman of the local Government Staff Pension Board, Akeem Ademola Ige, the government stated that the payment would be seamless without creating any stress for members of the family of the slain teachers.

Ige made this assertion while addressing the Officials of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos at the Local Government House, Secretariat Ibadan yesterday.

The NIPSS officials were in Ibadan to conduct an on-the-spot assessment of Local Government Administrative Policies and Strategic Development Initiatives of Oyo State covering Local Government Staff Pension Board.

Ige highlighted some of the achievements, programmes and pensioners friendly policies of the present administration in the state under the leadership of governor Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde included payment of N42 billion as gratuity and death benefits to retired and deceased pensioners out of the inherited backlog and part of the accrued under the present administration, increase in monthly allocation of the Board from N250million to N3billion, total monthly pension paid to both retired Local Government retirees from 2019-2026 is over #103 billion.

He stated further that ‘payment of N15,000 wage award , N10,000 transport supports fund payment of N50,000 as Christmas bonus to all pensioners and many more.

He, thereafter, presented the comprehensive report of activities and achievements of the Board to the team after a series of brainstorming sessions.

While welcoming the team on behalf of the government and people of Oyo State, the Secretary to the Government ( SSG), Prof. Musibau Babatunde expressed appreciation to NIPSS and enumerated some of the achievements of Governor Seyi Makinde led government which include highly competitive massive recruitment exercises, integrated administrative systems across the Local Governments, functional local governments, well equipped Primary Health Care Centres and many more.

Speaking on behalf of the team, Professor Ibrahim Choji lauded Engr Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde for his unwavering commitment to pensioners welfare since assumption of office.

According to the leader of the team, Professor Ibrahim Choji” NIPSS is a foremost federal government think tank in Nigeria and the purpose of the visit is to carry out assessment of Local Government policies, strategies and systems to see what is on ground to form part of recommendations and implementation strategies to the presidency so that best practices can be adopted and award will be given to outstanding state/agency in December.

“I must confess that there are so many things that we have seen on the ground at the Oyo State Local Government Staff Pension Board as best practices. Oyo State has been hospitable and accommodating,” he said.

In his remarks as the National Coordinator of the assessment programme, Mr Yoni Charles said he was highly impressed about the state . “On behalf of the Director General, I’m not disappointed, I’m impressed, I’m proud of Oyo State,” he said.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Acting Head of Local Government Administration of the Board, Alhaji Musibau Ladele said that the assessment will strengthen administrative excellence, strategic leadership, institutional performance, accountability and effective service delivery within Nigeria’s local government system.

Similarly, newly retired Primary School Teachers and Local Government Staff were payrolled and a symbolic presentation of pension certificates was done by officials of NIPSS where they had the opportunity to interface with the retirees.

Responding on behalf of the newly payrolled retirees, Mrs Balogun Abosede expressed gratitude to the Executive Governor of Oyo State , His Excellency, Engr Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde for the kind gestures extended to retirees under the present administration.

Present at the NIPSS official visit include the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Budget, Finance and Economic Planning Alhaji Gafar Bello , the Permanent Secretary, General Administration , Office of the Executive Governor, Mr Kadri Akeem, NIPSS Director of Administration , Mr Rotimi Mustapha, Mrs Adenike Ademola , Miss Ibrahim, and Directors of Finance and Supplies Mrs Temitayo Adeyemo, Director of Budget, Planning, Research and Statistics , Mr Oluwole Kehinde, Director of Education and Social Services, Mrs Banke Adeyemo, Internal Auditor, Alhaji Raifu Najimdeen, Deputy Director of Administration and General Services Mr Abiodun Muraina and a host of others.