By Victor Ahiuma-Young

Governor Ademola Jackson Adeleke of Osun State, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the welfare of workers and retirees, vowing that the state will “never owe pensioners again.”

Speaking weekend at the conferment of the “Most Outstanding Governor of the Year” award by the Labour Writers’ Association of Nigeria, LAWAN, in Ibadan , Adeleke said his government has fulfilled its promise to restore the dignity of labour by clearing the backlog of salaries, pensions, and gratuities inherited from past administrations.

“When we assumed office in November 2022, I made a solemn promise to restore the dignity of labour and to return smiles to the faces of Osun workers and pensioners. Today, I am proud to say that we have remained faithful to that promise,” he declared.

The Governor disclosed that one of his first major tasks upon assuming office was to clear the 30-month backlog of half salaries and pension arrears owed to workers and retirees by previous administrations.

“We began the phased payment of these arrears, ensuring that workers who toiled for the state were no longer made to beg for their legitimate earnings. We have also been regular and timely in the payment of gratuities and pensions to retirees, while steadily clearing the backlog of unpaid gratuities and pensions that has caused untold hardship in the past,” Adeleke stated.

The governor further explained that his administration went beyond settling arrears by restoring financial integrity to government dealings with workers.

“We went further to fully pay all outstanding cooperative deductions owed by previous administrations. By doing so, we restored the integrity of government in its dealings with workers and rebuilt confidence among our workforce,” he said.

Adeleke also highlighted measures taken to prioritize the welfare of senior citizens, including free healthcare for all pensioners under the Osun Health Insurance Scheme (OHIS)

“All Osun pensioners now enjoy free registration on the Osun Health Insurance Scheme, ensuring that they can access quality healthcare without financial strain. This initiative reflects our firm belief that those who served the State deserve to retire in good health with dignity and peace of mind,” he said.

He emphasized that under his leadership, the state has continued to pay gratuities and pensions promptly, while ensuring that promotions and annual increments for active workers are regular and fair.”Workers continue to enjoy their annual increments without delay while leave approvals are granted promptly. These may seem like administrative gestures, but for us, they are acts of justice and respect for those who serve the State diligently,” he added.

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