Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has approved the disbursement of N204.3 million to the families of deceased civil servants under the Group Life Assurance Policy, providing death-in-service benefits to beneficiaries whose claims have been duly processed and verified.
The amount comprises N125.63 million for beneficiaries at the state government level and N78.64 million for beneficiaries at the local government level, bringing the total disbursement to N204,275,209.80.
The payment, which covers state and local government employees who died while in active service, was presented to their next of kin during a cheque distribution ceremony held in Osogbo on Monday. The exercise forms part of the Adeleke administration’s efforts to strengthen workers’ welfare and fulfil obligations owed to public servants and their families.
Speaking through the Head of Service, Ayanleye Aina, Governor Adeleke said his administration remains committed to prioritising the welfare of workers and pensioners despite the financial challenges facing the state.
According to him, the government has paid a total of N882.75 million to 184 beneficiaries across various sectors of the public service under the Group Life Assurance Scheme since he assumed office in 2023.
He further disclosed that the administration had approved and released N1.87 billion in outstanding claims under the Personal Accident Insurance Scheme to 563 beneficiaries. The payments covered claims accumulated between September 2013 and August 1, 2023.
Adeleke said the disbursement reflects his administration’s determination to honour its obligations to public servants and provide support to families who lost loved ones while serving the state.
“What my predecessor failed to implement is what I am executing now,” the governor stated.
He recalled that upon assuming office, his administration made workers’ and pensioners’ welfare a central pillar of its governance agenda.
“When we clearly stated in our Five-Point Action Plan that the welfare of workers and pensioners would be our number one priority, our detractors mocked the pledge and described it as impossible. Today, to the glory of God, we have made significant progress as a talk-and-do administration,” he said.
The governor explained that the Group Life Assurance Policy, established under Section 15 of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) Act 2008, was designed to provide death-in-service benefits to the families of deceased public servants.
He described the failure of previous administrations to adequately implement and fund the scheme as unfair to workers and their dependants, noting that many families were denied the financial support due to them after the loss of their breadwinners.
Adeleke also criticised the immediate past administration for allegedly failing to maintain regular premium payments to insurance companies responsible for settling claims under the scheme, a situation he said contributed to the accumulation of unpaid benefits and delays in compensation.
He assured workers and pensioners that his administration would continue to implement policies aimed at improving their welfare while ensuring that statutory obligations are fulfilled promptly.
The governor added that the payment of death-in-service benefits and insurance claims underscores his administration’s commitment to restoring confidence in the public service and ensuring that workers and their families receive the protection and support guaranteed by law.