RUGIPO Pensioners’ pray over unpaid gratuity, pension, Call For Gov Aiyedatiwa Urgent Intervention

By Dupson Collins, 26th March, 2026

Pensioners under the umbrella of the Association of Retired Staff, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo Ondo State hold special prayer session over non-payment of over N3b gratuity and pension arrears.

The one-day special prayer against the non payment of N3bn gratuities and allowances owed by the state government and management of the institution became necessary having tried all means to no avail.

The Chairman of the Association, Mr Oluwole Olufawoye while addressing journalists shortly after an inter-denominational held at the Adekunle Ajasin Auditorium said they gathered to pray against all unknown power preventing Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and the management, from paying their entitlements in their lifetimes.

“We have traveled across the three Senatorial Districts of Ondo State to meet the paramount traditional rulers and religious leaders, appealed passionately to them to help us plead with the State Governor and Management of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic to pay our outstanding gratuity and pension arrears”.

He added that the retirees of the institution were denied increase and implementation of minimum wage whereas many states in the federation implemented it.

“Federal Government approved ten thousand Naira palliative for the sake of vulnerable people but the state government denied the retirees of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Owo the payment of the palliative till now”.

“It is equally to be noted that the minimum wage increase approved for retirees in the institution was 2009. The arrears for the specified period has never been paid to anybody”.

The Chairman noted that members are dying in large numbers while several others are critically ill and bedridden owing to lack of money to take care of themselves.

“It is on record that about one hundred and two of our members had died as at March, 2026 without collecting one naira from their gratuity and pension arrears”.

In his words, “:It is saddening and unheard of to note that after serving the Polytechnic for thirty to thirty five years with all our strength and vigour, all we have been subjected to is empty promises, unparalleled deceit and unimaginable contempt for well over a decade”.

He highlighted some of the steps taken by past and present leadership of the association to include written of series of letters to the governors, Ondo State House of Assembly, Head of Service, prevailing on State Government through House of Assembly to increase the budget to the institution which was jacked up but nothing was paid to the pensioners”.

The Chairman further said monarchs in the town were consulted for intervention on the plight of the retirees of the institution, inspite of the appeal from the monarchs, no action was taken by the management and governor.

“As elder statesmen, we chose not to embark on any action that would either embarrass the state government, the chairman, Governing Council or Management of the Polytechnic

He pleaded with the governor to religiously and passionately look into the case of the Retirees and assist the Management of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Owo to pay outstanding gratuity and pension arrears without further delay.

The Chairman also implored Governor Aiyedatiwa to be magnanimous in granting the Polytechnic intervention fund to pay the outstanding gratuity and pension arrears.

” This is the only legitimate means by which the Acting Rector can pay the outstanding arrears, because the amount involved is enormous. It is within the power of the governor to release intervention fund”.

He stressed the need to henceforth separate fund meant for the payment of gratuity and pension from other projects fund, saying due to the huge amount involved in the payment, government can pay in instalment over some months.

He called on prominent leaders and stakeholders in the state to appeal to the governor to consider the plight of the RUGIPO Retirees, saying the Pensioners would be happy if Governor Aiyedatiwa brighten their hope with urgent payment.

Speaking with the Journalists, the Grand Chief Imam of Owo Kingdom, Sheikh Yunus Anuola frowned at the ill treatment meted out to the retirees of the institution, whlle commending them for running to God for intervention, saying God is the last hope of any man.

Rev V O Folajimi, Vice Chairman Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) representing the Chairman CAN Owo Local Government condemned the inhumane treatment of the government to the Pensioners who have served the Polytechnic for several years.

He called on the governor to urgently looked at the demands of the Pensioners’ who many have died without collecting their entitlement.