Obaseki approves payment of 28 years gratuity backlog

...Pensioners to undergo screening

Godwin Obaseki

The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has approved the payment of a 28-year backlog of gratuity for pensioners in the state’s Local Government Staff Pension Board.

The approval was made known in a statement by the Head of Local Government Administration and Permanent Secretary, Local Government Staff Pension Board, Mrs. Osas-Ehigie Sandra.

Sandra said a screening exercise will be held for the payment of pensioners on the payroll of the Local Government Staff Pension Board between 1979 and 2008.

She said, “This is to inform pensioners on the payroll of the Local Government Staff Pension Board, who retired between 1979 and 2008 that His Excellency, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has graciously released funds for their gratuity and that screening exercise will be carried out in the Local Government Staff Pensions Board Premises, King Square, Benin City.”

Sandra added, “All confirmed pensioners are to physically present themselves at the venue with their pension identity card, biometrics slip and pay advice between Monday 16th and Friday 20th October, 2023, from 8.00 a.m. -4.00 p.m. daily.”

Meanwhile, the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has promised to construct more interconnecting roads across the state to connect communities and open up more areas for economic activities and development.

The governor spoke while addressing stakeholders in Edo Central Senatorial District, decrying the poor state of federal roads across the State. This is as he reassured the people that his government will, after the rainy season, focus on the construction of more local roads to ameliorate the sufferings of the people, commuters and other residents in the state.

He said, “Anytime I want to come to Edo Central, I try to go through the roads that are very bad to see and feel what you are going through. I want to assure you that our biggest challenge as a state is our road infrastructure which is being challenged as we will not keep quiet for what is a blessing which has now turned into a curse.

“Edo is blessed because of its long stretch of interconnection of federal roads and I don’t think that there is any state in the country that has interconnected federal roads like Edo State.”

The governor further noted, “What we are seeing in the roads in Edo State today is an indication of what is happening with our Federal Government. It’s telling on us and shows that the Federal Government doesn’t seem to have the capacity to repair, maintain, and manage its own roads. So, our choice is to go back to our own local roads, create new ones, and see how to connect our state since they say they will not allow us to touch their roads.

“I appeal to you to be patient with us. It’s a matter of time. The dry season will be here soon and we will mobilise contractors to site, look for the money, and begin to construct our interconnecting roads in the state.”

Obaseki added, “We believe that what we are seeing is a signal to us that since the Federal Government has failed to repair Ekpoma, Irrua, Auchi, Benin roads, we must look for the roads we used to use before 1967 and 1973 and begin to rebuild those roads to connect our villages and communities.”

Exit mobile version