NEWS
Oyetola presents N1.156b bond certificates to Osun retirees
…says his govt has spent over N43b on pensions
…orders immediate implementation of 65-year of age, 40-year of service for public school teachers
In line with his avowed commitment to the welfare of retirees in Osun, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, on Thursday, presented bond certificates worth a N1.156billion to another set of pensioners in the State.
The bond certificates were presented to 162 retirees comprising primary school teachers, local government staff, and those in the core civil service, parastatals, and state-owned tertiary institutions. They all expressed joy over the bond certificates presented to them.
A further breakdown shows that 93 retirees from local government service and primary schools were presented N656,304,000 bond certificates while 69 retirees from the core civil service, parastatals, and tertiary institutions got a total of N500million bond certificates.
Speaking during the bond presentation ceremony held at the Multi-purpose Hall, Local Government Service Commission, State Government Secretariat, Abere, Osogbo, Governor Oyetola disclosed that his administration has so far expended over N43billion on payment of pensions.
The governor also ordered the immediate implementation of the 65 years retirement age and 40 years of length of service for teachers in public schools across the State. This is in fulfillment of the pledge he made to workers during the last May Day celebration in the State.
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Governor Oyetola said despite the limited resources available to the State government, his administration had continued to fulfill the monthly obligation and irrevocably committed to the payment of pensions and gratuities of retirees under the old pension scheme.
He said, “As at today, we have committed a little over 43billion naira to the payment of pensions, all in a bid to ensure that our senior citizens are adequately taken care of, having served our dear State meritoriously. This, we are committed to do unabated, not minding the precarious financial situation of the State occasioned by the economic downturn in the country.
“Let me also use this opportunity to inform you all that our administration is set to commence the implementation of the sixty-five (65) years of age and forty years (40) length of service for teachers in Public Schools across the State. This is in line with my pronouncement during the May Day celebration this year and in adopting the Federal Government policy on the matter as amended.
“I must emphasize that this initiative was taken without any pressure from any Union but as part of the packages this administration has for teachers in our State so that they can enjoy the same opportunity with their colleagues throughout the Country.”
The Governor expressed gratitude to the workers most importantly the organized Labour, for their unalloyed support and high sense of understanding towards the sustainability of the whole gamut of pension matters in the State.
“It is heartwarming to note that our administration has not only been successful in the issuance of Bond Certificates to the retirees but has also ensured that infrastructural development in the State is not lacking.
“As an administration, our focus is to make life more bearable for all and sundry in the State. For me, regular payment of salaries, pensions and gratuities is a covenant between me and God. I shall therefore continue to discharge this responsibility for as long as I remain the Governor of our dear State.
“This is the more reason we have continued to do all in our power to meet the yearnings and aspirations of our people within the ambit of available resources. I want to assure our people who have entrusted us with their mandate that, with us, you are in safe hand as we have other packages in stock which shall be unfolded as we continue the journey together”, he added.
Some of the beneficiaries who could not hide their feelings extolled Governor Oyetola for putting smiles on their faces despite the socioeconomic reality of the State.
The pensioners also eulogized the government for the prompt payment of their pensions saying God has used the Governor “to have our dues while still alive.”
Mr. Micheal Akinwumi Fasipe and Mrs. Adeniyi Hafusat Moronke described the payment of their pensions by the state government as one of the great things that has happened to them on this earth.
They prayed God to continue to uphold the Governor and his government for taking the welfare and general well-being of the masses particularly workers as priority since the assumption of office.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Local Government Staff Pension Bureau, Mr Kayode Aliu Afolabi, said the Contributory Pension Scheme under the administration of Governor Oyetola had recorded many achievements among which are regular remittances into employees’ retirement Savings Account Funding of the Accrued Rights Account and Settlement of death benefits of deceased contributors.
“It is pertinent to mention that the successes recorded in the Scheme so far are due to the passion and resilience of Mr Governor in seeing to the welfare of the people of the State even in the face of a dearth of funds. I thank Mr. Governor for his support and commitment to the Scheme, particularly to the welfare of retirees,” Afolabi noted.
Also speaking, the State Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Jacob Adekomi and State Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, lauded Oyetola for his tremendous support for workers in the State, noting that the new feat was a clear manifestation of the love the Governor has for teachers and the teaching profession.
“The present generation of teachers in the state cannot thank you enough for your kind gesture, the upcoming generations shall inherit and keep going with it for years,” Adekomi said.
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has criticized the federal government’s plan to secure an additional N1.7 trillion loan through Eurobonds to cover a shortfall in the 2024 budget, describing the borrowing as unsustainable and harmful to Nigeria’s economy.
In a statement shared on Thursday via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Atiku accused the Bola Tinubu-led administration of burdening Nigerians with debt while failing to provide clear answers about the country’s fiscal challenges.
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He also faulted the National Assembly for enabling what he called a “voracious appetite” for loans.
The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate expressed alarm over a recent World Bank report ranking Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), calling the development troubling.
“The recent report released by the World Bank, showing Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), is very concerning,” Atiku stated.
He raised further concerns about the government’s decision to benchmark the proposed loan at an exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, despite the Central Bank of Nigeria’s official rate being over N1,600.
“What makes this particular loan proposal even more concerning is that it is benchmarked at the exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, whereas the current exchange rate from the Central Bank of Nigeria stands at over N1,600 to 1 USD,” he said.
Atiku questioned the need for additional borrowing, given the government’s earlier claims of record-high revenue collection.
“In July this year, Tinubu boasted that the FIRS and Customs under his watch had collected all-time high revenues to finance the budget. Why are they still borrowing?” he said
He accused the government of a lack of transparency, describing the borrowing spree as detrimental to Nigerians already struggling under economic hardship.
“There is something that they are not telling Nigerians, even as they are being crushed by a combination of their failed trial-and-error policies and loan rackets.”
Atiku also referenced a report by BudgIT, a budget monitoring group, which criticized the 2024 budget for its inefficiencies.
He alleged that corruption, rather than infrastructure or development needs, was driving the government’s borrowing decisions.
“These loans are powered by corruption and not for infrastructure and development needs. This voracious appetite for humongous loans is deeply concerning,” he said.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s financial history, Atiku lamented the return to significant foreign indebtedness just years after former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration cleared the country’s debt.
“It is agonizing to see that just a few years after the Obasanjo administration took us out of foreign indebtedness, we are today back at the top spot in the same conundrum,” he stated.
He called for a more cautious approach to borrowing, urging the government to prioritize fiscal responsibility and transparency to avoid worsening Nigeria’s economic challenges.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken a historic step, issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The charges include crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed during Israel’s recent assault on Gaza.
In a detailed statement, the ICC accused the Israeli leaders of “intentionally and knowingly depriving the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.”
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The ICC’s move marks a significant escalation in international scrutiny of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Netanyahu and Gallant are alleged to have orchestrated policies that caused severe harm to the civilian population in Gaza, leading to widespread condemnation from human rights organizations.
Alongside the charges against Israeli officials, the ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. Deif has long been a central figure in Hamas’s military operations. Israel’s military claims to have killed him in a July airstrike, although this has not been independently verified.
The warrants highlight growing calls for accountability amid the ongoing conflict in the region. The ICC’s actions are likely to provoke heated debate and may complicate diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the crisis.
With the warrants issued, global attention now turns to how the international community will respond and whether any practical steps will be taken to enforce them.
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has inaugurated a 12-member committee tasked with recovering government vehicles reportedly in private hands.
The committee, led by Kelly Okungbowa, has been given a two-week mandate to retrieve the vehicles and ensure their return to the state government.
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Speaking during the inauguration ceremony in Benin City, Governor Okpebholo emphasized the importance of accountability in the management of public resources.
He urged the committee to carry out its assignment thoroughly and within the bounds of the law.
In his response, Okungbowa expressed gratitude to the governor for entrusting the team with the assignment, vowing to deliver results within the stipulated timeframe.
“A lot of vehicles used by the past administration are missing, as those in custody of the vehicles have refused to return them,” Okungbowa said.
“The governor deemed it fit to inaugurate us today with a mandate to recover all government vehicles in private hands.”
The committee, which includes representatives from Edo’s three senatorial districts, is set to investigate and recover the vehicles based on credible intelligence already at their disposal.
“We already have vital information regarding some persons still holding government vehicles,” Okungbowa stated. “We will do the job according to the law, and both the government and the people will be satisfied with the outcome.”
He also called on members of the public to assist the committee by providing information about any government vehicles that may still be in private possession.
“We want to appeal to members of the public who might be aware of anyone still keeping government vehicles in their houses to please inform us to enable the committee to recover such for the Edo State Government,” Okungbowa said.
The committee’s vice chairman, Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror, a former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, will work alongside other members to ensure the success of the initiative. The public can reach the committee at 08110165121.
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