Former members of staff and pensioners of the defunct College of Education, Ekiadolor, in Edo State have appealed to the state government to pay the last tranche of their outstanding entitlements.
The group made the appeal during a solidarity visit to Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa in Benin City. They also used the occasion to commend Governor Monday Okpebholo for already settling three of the four outstanding tranches.
Speaking on behalf of the group, its leader, Mr. Richard Amayo, disclosed that the closure of the institution had displaced about 1,500 staff members and pensioners.
He recalled that the group had consistently demanded the payment of their entitlements throughout the eight-year tenure of a previous administration, but the promises made to them were never fulfilled.
According to Amayo, the group later wrote to Governor Okpebholo, whose administration has so far released three of the four tranches. “He has paid the first, he has paid the second, he has paid the third, remaining just one tranche,” he said.
Amayo appealed for the prompt release of the outstanding tranche, explaining that the payment would enable members to meet their personal needs and also support their planned political mobilisation activities. He said the visit was primarily to appreciate the governor for the payments already made and to reaffirm the group’s support for his administration.
The group leader further stated that members and their families are ready to mobilise support for the All Progressives Congress (APC). He, however, requested formal inclusion of some of their members in the party’s mobilisation and campaign structures.
“We are with him but we just request that some of us should be part of the mobilisation team for the campaign,” Amayo said. He added that the group would also campaign for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 and for Okpebholo’s political ambition in 2028.
Responding, Deputy Governor Idahosa thanked the group for its support and gave an assurance that the outstanding payment would be addressed. “I want to assure you on behalf of my principal that the fourth one will also be addressed,” he stated.
On the request for mobilisation roles, Idahosa said the administration would consider engaging members of the group during the campaign period. “We will invite you so that we’ll see how we can engage you in this campaign period,” he added.
The deputy governor urged the former staff and pensioners to sustain their support for the administration and its political mobilisation efforts.
