BENIN CITY – The Executive Director Media and Public Affairs, Edo State Governor’s Office, Mr. John Mayaki has lambasted the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State over its claim that some pensioners in the state have not received their gratuity, describing the claim of the opposition party as “doubtful and false in its entirety”.
Speaking with newsmen in Benin City yesterday in reaction to the opposition party, the Executive Director said, “However, if there be such screened pensioner who has not received his or her gratuity, such a person must have had issues with his or her account details and the fault is not with the Government”.
According to the Governor’s aide, “To put record straight, at the event in Imaguero College, where the Comrade Governor, Adams Oshiomhole issued cheques to screened pensioners, he made it abundantly clear that the ceremony was symbolic.
“I can authoritatively tell you that Government paid every pensioner and that payments have been effected to the pensioners through e-payment; be it emoluments for serving and retired officers”.
“This clarification became necessary owing to PDP’s recent allegation during one of their rallies claiming that government reneged in her responsibilities to pensioners”, he explained.
To further dwell on Governor Oshiomhole’s benevolence to Edo State Pensioners, John Mayaki countered PDP’s claim thus, “This claim is false and Government hasn’t seen anybody who has been screened and has not received his or her payment. However, if there be any, such should cross-check his or her account details just as Government will be interested to see such pensioners”.
“By the way, it may interest people to know that half of the gratuity that was paid by the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole’s administration was owed by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP)-led Government.
Those who retired in year 2000, for example, were not paid their gratuities before they exited them and this administration cleared the backlog up to 2010 and still counting. It is good to put record straight”, he concluded.
