Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has approved the payment of the first tranche to staff of the Colleges of Education in Ekiadolor and Igueben.
In a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Fred Itua, on Monday, Okpebholo said the sum of ₦4.6 billion has been earmarked for the settlement of entitlement benefits of the affected staff.
Itua said many of the affected staff had waited for years without compensation, pensions, or clarity about their employment status.
The move offers relief to hundreds of families affected by sudden disengagement.
Itua said that this covers 682 pensioners from the College of Education, Ekiadolor, and 32 pensioners from the College of Education, Igueben, noting that the payment, which will be made in four tranches, amounts to ₦1,164,507,285.17 per tranche.
He said that the first tranche has now been disbursed to both the disengaged staff and retirees of the two colleges, in strict adherence to the provisions of the Pension Act of Nigeria.
The staff were disengaged by the immediate-past administration of Godwin Obaseki, who said he was restructuring the school for better performance.
The Ikhidolor campus has since been taken over by the federal government, while Obaseki’s plan to have a campus in Abudu, Igueben, Afuze did not take off despite structures already built in Abudu.
Also, the CPS said the governor has approved the immediate release of ₦292 million as the second tranche of pension entitlements to disengaged staff of the Colleges of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi, and Agenebode.
The payment is scheduled to be effected on or before Wednesday this week, Itya said.
He added, ‘With this intervention, the State Government has so far released a total of ₦1.4 billion to the four Colleges of Education, bringing relief to hundreds of families and reaffirming its resolve to prioritize the welfare of citizens who have dedicated their years of service to the growth of Edo State.
‘This bold action by the Governor, Monday Okpebholo-led administration, is a continuation of the Government’s reform drive to reposition the education sector, while ensuring that those who were impacted by earlier sack are not left behind.
‘It is also a reflection of the governor’s vision of a just, fair, and prosperous Edo State, where equity and compassion are guiding principles of governance.
‘The Edo State Government reassures all stakeholders, especially retirees and disengaged staff of State-owned institutions, that this process will be carried through to the end until every legitimate entitlement is fully settled. This milestone reflects Okpebholo’s commitment to fairness, justice, and the welfare of its workforce’.
