By joshua AN OPEN LETTER TO THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF KOGI STATE, ALHAJI AHMED USMAN ODODO:A HEARTFELT APPRECIATION AND A PASSIONATE APPEAL FOR KOGI PENSIONERS
The true measure of any government is reflected not only in the infrastructure it provides but also in the care it extends to those who have devoted their productive years to public service. It is in this spirit that I write this open letter to His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, the Executive Governor of Kogi State.
Your Excellency, permit me to begin by expressing my sincere appreciation for your administration’s commitment to the prompt payment of monthly pensions. This has brought relief, restored confidence, and rekindled hope among thousands of retired civil servants across Kogi State. Your consistency in this regard deserves recognition and commendation.
However, while pensioners remain grateful for this laudable achievement, there are still two major issues that require urgent and compassionate attention: the payment of outstanding gratuities and the harmonization of pensions.
The harsh economic realities facing our nation have made life increasingly difficult for retirees. The prices of food, medicines, transportation, and other essential commodities continue to rise. Unfortunately, the monthly pension received by many retirees is no longer sufficient to sustain them and their families throughout the month. Many elderly pensioners now struggle to provide for their basic needs and pay for medical care.
Even more distressing is the prolonged delay in the payment of gratuities. Thousands of pensioners who faithfully served Kogi State and its local governments for 35 years or more are still waiting to receive this legitimate entitlement. Gratuity is neither a favour nor an act of charity; it is a well-earned reward for decades of dedicated and selfless service.
Sadly, many retirees have died while waiting for their gratuities, while others continue to battle illness, poverty, and hardship. This is a painful reality that calls for urgent government intervention.
Your Excellency, I respectfully appeal to your wisdom, compassion, and sense of justice to consider introducing a practical and sustainable framework for the settlement of outstanding gratuities owed to both state and local government pensioners. If the financial burden makes an immediate payment of the entire backlog difficult, a structured batch-by-batch payment plan would be a welcome solution. Such an approach would steadily clear the arrears and restore hope to those who sacrificed the best years of their lives in the service of Kogi State.
I also humbly appeal for renewed attention to the harmonization of pensions. This will help ensure that retirees receive benefits that are more consistent with present-day economic realities, enabling them to live with dignity in retirement.
Your Excellency, every worker looks forward to retirement with the expectation that years of faithful service will be rewarded. Pensioners are not asking for favours; they are only seeking what they earned through years of sacrifice, commitment, and loyalty to the state.
I have no doubt that your administration possesses both the goodwill and the capacity to address these outstanding issues. By doing so, you will not only improve the lives of thousands of senior citizens but also secure a lasting place in the hearts of present and future generations as a leader who honoured those who built the state through their labour.
May Almighty God continue to grant you wisdom, strength, and good health as you continue to serve the people of Kogi State with dedication and integrity.
Abdulkarim Oyibo Sadik
08031528652
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