The Oyo State governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Olooye Adegboyega Adegoke, has promised to put a stop to the long wait by retirees for payment of their gratuities and pension enrollments, if elected in 2027.
This is as he also promised a new era for the youths in the state, assuring them of empowerment through the local government councils and vocational training agency.
Adegoke made this pledge on Monday while addressing the people of Oyo East, Oyo West, Atiba and Afijio local government Areas of Oyo State during a Thank-You Visit he embarked on.
Adegoke, who was accompanied by the “Solutions 2027 Team”, said that it is sad that after retirement from the civil service, most of the retirees stayed up to about 7 to 10 years to receive their gratuities, and also waited for months before their enrollment into payment of pensions is realised.
He promised that the negative trend will give way to immediate payment of gratuities to retired workers in the civil service under his administration, adding that retired civil servants will be enrolled into the pension scheme the month following their retirement.
According to him, “It is sad that retired civil servants often wait for seven to ten years before they receive their gratuities and several months before they are enrolled for pension. We will change all that.
Before retirement, the process for gratuities would have started so that they can immediately benefit upon retirement. Also, a few months before retirement, the process for placement on pension payment will be worked out, and upon retirement, the retirees would immediately enjoy their pension”.
The ADC gubernatorial candidate said he will bring a new era for the teeming youths of Oyo State by empowering them through the local governments, noting that youths are the future of the state and, according to him, everything will be done to make sure they are empowered as they grow up in the society.
Adegoke said he hopes to bring developments to the state and ensure that the state lives up to its status as a pace- setter state.
He said, “I will replicate the developments earlier carried out by the Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Late Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola that made the Western Region a greater zone, which earned Oyo State a pace-setter status. Oyo will be developed to the envy of other states in the country, and our pace-setter status will be a thing of pride”, Adegoke said.
On infrastructural developments, the ADC governorship candidate said that in his first 100 days in office, he will ensure repairs of a minimum of 10 township roads in each local government, saying that with four local governments in Oyo, 40 township roads will be repaired during his first 100 days in office through the local governments.
He insisted that the contractors for road repairs will be drawn from within the local government areas so that they can be tracked if they carry out shoddy work. This will enhance local governments’ autonomy to allow them to perform their constitutional roles.
He pledged that the state under his control will employ Agricultural Extension Officers to enhance and assist the farmers on their farms.
Farmers will be offered soft loans to develop their farms while, at the same time, their children will be gainfully employed.
