Former staff members and pensioners of the defunct College of Education, Ekiadolor, Edo State, have appealed to the state government to pay the last tranche of their outstanding entitlements after the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo paid three of the four outstanding tranches.
The group made the appeal during a solidarity visit to the Deputy Governor, Mr Dennis Idahosa, in Benin City, while expressing appreciation for the payments made so far. Its leader, Richard Amayo, said the closure of the institution had displaced about 1,500 former staff members and pensioners, who had waited for years for their entitlements.
Amayo said the group had sought payment of its entitlements throughout the eight-year administration of the previous government, but the promise to pay was not fulfilled.
He said the group later wrote to Okpebholo, whose administration had paid three of the four outstanding tranches.
“He has paid the first, he has paid the second, he has paid the third, remaining just one tranche,” Amayo said.
He appealed to the state government to release the final tranche, saying the payment would help members meet their needs and support their planned political mobilisation activities.
Amayo said the visit was also to appreciate the governor for the payments and reaffirm the group’s support for his administration.
He added that the group was ready to mobilise its members and families in support of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but requested formal inclusion in the party’s mobilisation and campaign activities.
“We are with him but we just request that some of us should be part of the mobilisation team for the campaign,” he said.
Amayo also said the group would mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027 and Okpebholo’s political ambition in 2028.
Responding, Idahosa thanked the group for its support and assured its members 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 said.
On the request for campaign 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 said.
He urged the group to sustain its support for the state government and its political mobilisation efforts.
