Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to completely clearing the backlog of pension arrears and gratuities inherited from previous years. The State Head of Service (HOS), Dr. Anthony Okungbowa, conveyed this assurance on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, during a high-level meeting at Government House, Benin City.
The session, which included the Commissioner for Finance, the Accountant-General, and leaders of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), focused on synchronizing the payment schedule for the first quarter of the year. Dr. Okungbowa emphasized that the Governor views the welfare of retirees not as an act of charity, but as a debt of honor for their years of service to the state.
Central to this commitment is the ₦939.85 billion 2026 “Budget of Hope and Growth,” which has significantly increased allocations for the social sector. The administration has already demonstrated its resolve by releasing over ₦4.6 billion in late 2025 to settle entitlements for 714 disengaged workers from state-owned colleges.
Furthermore, the state is sustaining a monthly release of ₦300 million dedicated solely to defraying gratuity backlogs dating back to 2012. Dr. Okungbowa noted that the government’s shift to the “Edo Cloud” digital platform will further streamline these payments, eliminating the manual bottlenecks that previously caused delays.
To ensure the integrity of the payroll, the Head of Service urged all retirees to participate in the ongoing “I Am Alive” screening and verification exercise. This digital audit is designed to weed out “ghost pensioners” and ensure that available funds are directed to legitimate beneficiaries. While acknowledging the patience of the NUP, the government reiterated that the “S.H.I.N.E. Agenda” (Security, Health, Infrastructure, New Economy, and Education) is fundamentally built on a motivated workforce, including those who have transitioned into retirement.
With the first tranche of 2026 payments already being processed, the administration insists that the era of multi-year pension delays in Edo is coming to a permanent end.
, Dr. Anthony Okungbowa, conveyed this assurance on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, during a high-level meeting at Government House, Benin City.){kind=link}