Edo resumes payment of gratuities to pensioners after 17 years

Edo has resumed the payment of outstanding gratuities to its pensioners 17 years after it stopped the exercise.

Crusoe Osagie, Special Adviser on Media projects to Edo government made this known in Benin on Thursday.

He told newsmen that one of the reasons for the resumption of payment was to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal on pensioners.

He said government was working out modalities to ensure that all outstanding gratuities were paid.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the last time Edo paid gratuities was in 2006 during Chief Lucky Igbenedion’s administration.

Osagie described sitting Gov. Obaseki as a performing governor who had also kick-started the provision of 24-hour free Wi-Fi service in some public places in the state.

He listed such areas to include the king’s square (Oba Market) in Benin, Oredo Local Government Area, Eki-Osa (Osa Market) in Ikpoba-okha Local Government Area and parts of Egor council area.

“Gov. Obaseki has done all these for residents to have easy communication through the social media without paying a penny.

“The governor started with  various Ministries, Departments and Agencies and other public places to ensure unlimited internet access for workers in the wake of the three-day weekly work schedule for civil and public servants,’’ Osagie said.

He said the provision of free internet was also part of efforts to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal.