The Oyo State Commissioner for Establishments and Training, Salihu Adelabu, has disclosed that the state government has disbursed over N13 billion to settle the accumulated arrears of gratuities for retirees since May 2019.
He made this known during the ongoing Omitutun 2.0 Inter-Ministerial Briefing, held at the Governor’s Office, Secretariat in Ibadan, the state capital, on Monday.
Adelabu said, “Since the inception of Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration in May 2019, over N13 billion has been disbursed to settle accumulated arrears of gratuities for retirees, both in the mainstream service and among secondary school teachers, benefitting a total of 7,250 retirees.”
The commissioner also announced that the government is spending N2 billion every month on payment of gratuities.
He explained that the government increased the payment of the monthly gratuity funds from N206 million in 2019 to N1 billion in May 2025.
“The government has been paying N1 billion to retirees in both the mainstream service and secondary school teachers and another N1 billion to retirees in primary schools and local government areas in the state, respectively,” he said.
Adelabu emphasised that Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration was committed to promoting efficiency, stating that industrial peace and ensuring the welfare of both serving and retired civil and public servants in the state were given priority attention.
On the issue of human capacity training and retraining of workers across the cadres, the commissioner said the International Standard Organisation Management Model would be adopted to enhance work efficiency, transparency, and effectiveness of civil and public servants.
He added that the same model would be adopted to develop a database on manpower and training needed across the state’s workforce, aimed at identifying skill gaps and deploying resources for targeted learning.
Adelabu disclosed that the governor has also assured that it would clear all pension debts before the expiration of its tenure in 2027.
The commissioner said, “A significant area of our work is the preservation of industrial harmony. The ministry has served and continues to serve as a vital link between the government and various labour organisations within the civil and public service.
“It offers mediation in disputes, responds to grievances, and ensures that matters such as union dues and allowances are addressed in a timely and transparent manner. This has been key to maintaining a peaceful and stable work environment across the public sector.
“The ministry’s commitment to financial efficiency led to the abolition of the N4,000 Retirement Form Fee in December 2024.
“Additionally, the ministry transitioned from a cheque-based to an electronic payment system by July 2024, enhancing accountability and streamlining the payment process.
“We have also commenced the digitisation of retirement documentation to facilitate faster and more transparent processing of entitlements.”
