The Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, has approved the disbursement of ₦204,275,209.80 to the next of kin of civil servants who died while in active service in the state.
The payment, according to the state government, is part of the administration’s commitment to the welfare of workers, pensioners and families of deceased public servants.
The cheques were presented to beneficiaries in Osogbo, the state capital, during a ceremony where the Head of Service, Elder Ayanleye Aina, represented the governor.
In a statement released on Monday, June 1, via its 𝕏 account, the Osun State Government said the total amount released covered beneficiaries at both the state and local government levels.
According to the government, ₦125,631,083.45 was approved for beneficiaries at the state level, while ₦78,644,126.35 was released for beneficiaries at the local government level.
The government said the payment was meant to provide support to families of workers who lost their breadwinners while serving the state.
Addressing the beneficiaries through the Head of Service, Adeleke said his administration would continue to place workers and pensioners’ welfare at the centre of governance despite the financial situation of the state.
“My commitment to workers’ and pensioners’ welfare remains unshaken despite the financial challenges facing the state,” the governor said.
He noted that the welfare of public servants and retirees was a major part of his administration’s Five-Point Action Plan.
According to him, critics had doubted the government’s ability to fulfil its promise, but his administration had continued to show commitment through practical action.
“When we stated clearly in our Five-Point Action Plan our desire to make the welfare of the workforce and pensioners our number one priority, our detractors made jest of us, describing the pledge as an impossibility. Today, to the glory of God, we have made significant progress as a talk-and-do administration,” Adeleke stated.
The governor disclosed that since 2023, his administration had paid a total of ₦882,752,717.50 as death benefits to 184 beneficiaries across the state public service.
He said the payment reflected the government’s determination to clear outstanding obligations and reduce the hardship faced by families of deceased workers.
Adeleke also revealed that under the Personal Accident Insurance Scheme, his administration had approved and released ₦1,866,719,123.15 to settle outstanding claims involving 563 beneficiaries.
According to him, the claims covered the period from September 2013 to August 1, 2023.
Adeleke Explains Insurance Policy
Speaking on the importance of the scheme, Adeleke said the Group Life Assurance Policy under the Contributory Pension Scheme was created to protect the families of workers who die while still in service.
“The Group Life Assurance Policy under the Contributory Pension Scheme is designed to cater for death-in-service benefits for Osun State workers,” he said.
The governor said such support was necessary because families of deceased workers should not be abandoned after their loved ones had served the state.
Adeleke criticised the previous administration for allegedly failing to adequately address outstanding insurance claims and death benefit obligations.
He described the refusal to settle such claims as “inhumane and uncharitable.”
The governor also alleged that irregularities were allowed in the payment of insurance premiums that should have helped in settling the claims of beneficiaries.
He assured workers, pensioners and families of deceased civil servants that his administration would continue to prioritise their welfare and ensure that legitimate entitlements are paid promptly.
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