The Oyo State Government has indicated its resolve to commence the payment of gratuity to retired civil servants who retired from 2019 till date in a bid to reduce the backlog of unpaid gratuities to retirees in the state.

The Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatubosun, who said the decision was reached at the State Executive Council meeting held on Tuesday, added that the state government increased the monthly allocation from N230m to N235m to accommodate the payment of backlog of unpaid gratuities.

Olatunbosun said, “The Council, at its 27th meeting of September 29, 2020, directed that a proposal to offset the backlog of unpaid gratuities of retired staff and an initiative to ensure the payment of gratuities of retiring staff in the Oyo State Civil Service as soon as they retire, be urgently initiated by members of a committee comprising the Secretary to the State Government, Head of Service, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Commissioner for Establishment and Training, Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, as well as the Commissioner for Finance.

“The committee presented its findings and recommendations at the last Executive Council meeting and it was proposed that the sum of N50m be set aside to cater specially for officers retiring from the service between May, 2019, and May, 2023, with a view to benchmarking the performance of the present administration in the payment of gratuity of civil/public servants.

“In view of this, the need for a modulated payment of gratuity was proposed and this has scaled up the monthly payment of N230m to N235m for the payment of the monthly release for the backlog of unpaid gratuities till the commencement of this administration, so as to keep up the pace at which the inherited backlog of the gratuities are being paid.”

Punch