Former Chairman of the Nigerian Labor Congress, Kogi State Chapter, Comrade Onu Edoka, has revealed that the Kogi State Government releases N150 million monthly to the Pension Commission, representing about N1.8 billion annually, to cater for retirees.
Speaking at the Ogori Mangogo Local Government Council in Kogi Central, Edoka, who is currently the Special Adviser on Labor Affairs to the Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Ododo, spearheaded a Workplace Safety and Workers Welfare Campaign in support of the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Ododo for a second term, and commended the administrations of Mr President and Ododo for redefining industrial relations in the state.
Addressing a large gathering of union leaders, civil servants and community stakeholders in Ogori Magongo, Comrade Edoka described the Ododo administration as a government that has placed workers and pensioners at the center of governance.
He noted that the era of delays in salaries and pensions is over: workers now receive their salaries on time and pensioners obtain their monthly entitlements without excuses.
The Special Adviser said the government now releases N150 million every month to the Pension Commission, representing about N1.8 billion annually, to cater for retirees.
He further revealed that talks are at an advanced stage for the state to access a loan or bond facility aimed at settling all outstanding gratuities, a move he said will provide full relief to pensioners who served the state meritorious.
Comr. Edoka said Kogi was among the first states in the country to implement the new national minimum wage and went further by granting a two-year tax holiday on the increase.
He added that local government workers also enjoy full salary payments, while other social assistance packages such as promotions and promotion backlogs, leave bonuses, hazard allowances for health workers and health insurance coverage for both workers and pensioners have been fully activated.
The Ododo government’s commitment to workers, he continued, is also evident in the donation of three new buses to the NLC, TUC and JNC to facilitate union operations in the state.
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Speaking to leaders of NULGE, NUT, Health and Medical Workers Union, ASUSS and NUP present at the LGA engagement in Ogori Magongo, Comrade Edoka urged workers to remain alert and aware of safety at their respective workplaces.
He emphasized that Governor Ododo values ​​the grassroots workforce and prefers to work with them rather than imposing additional burdens, noting that the administration understands the sacrifices of workers at the local level.
He explained that the Workplace Safety Campaign is not only about safety but also about protecting the progress made during the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.
With retirements rising and the pension bill rising, he said the state government is already planning massive recruitment to revitalize public administration and sustain service delivery.
Comrade Edoka urged workers to make sound political decisions before 2027, stressing that continuity is key to safeguarding the gains in wages, pensions, health insurance and industrial peace that the state currently enjoys.
The Ogori Magongo LGA meeting marks another significant step in state-level mobilization, as the campaign continues to carry the message of safety, well-being and continuity to workers in all local government areas of Kogi State.
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