Recently, members of Ogun State Nigeria Union of Pensioners in their
hundreds converged on Nigeria Labour Congress Secretariat along Moshood
Abiola Way ,Abeokuta, for stakeholders meeting . At the meeting, the
Senior citizens registered their displeasure over the state government’s
alleged nonchalant attitude to their welfare.
The pensioners, mostly aged accused the State Governor, Senator
Ibikunle Amosun of maltreating them, saying, they were not being treated
like human beings . They said the state government’s action to the
pensioners in the state shows it has no recourse to pensioners.
The Chairman of the Pensioners, Kessignton Odukoya while speaking on behalf of members of the union, said he did not know where in the world pensioners are treated like they are being treated in Nigeria. According to him, in Ogun State, pensioners have become outcasts and are being treated like ‘dogs’.
Odukoya said the government has failed to pay their gratitude and pension since 2013,adding that the Governor is fond of making unfulfilled promises,and therefore they (pensioners) are fed up with him. While lamenting on the N2,000 payment by the government to the pensioners monthly , the union described it as ridiculous, saying, the government has refused to comply with the 1999 amended constitution on pension,which called for five year review of pensions as done to salaries.
“ I don’t know anywhere all over the world where pensioners are paid an equivalent of N2,000 monthly pension except Nigeria. An amount not enough to feed dogs of an elite as breakfast being paid to a human being for 30 days. “It would be observed that Ogun State Government had increased workers salaries and wages on four occasions without any recourse to pensioners, hence, there is wide gap between the old and new pensioners of the same retirement conditions.
“All efforts, appeals to the state government to have mercy on us and harmonise the pensioners proved abortive. Series of meetings were held with the government even with Mr Governor in attendance, but always ended in promises that will never materialise. Enough is enough.
“Elders are not only being denied of their walking sticks but also hit below the belt. Ogun State Government should give us a living pension. Pensioners, workers and political leaders buy from the same market. Ogun State Government should please have mercy on us and harmonise our pension.
“Since the advent of this administration, all the requests repeatedly made through various letters, representation and even dialogues and appeals to His Excellency have yielded no result and so, life has been difficult for us on daily basis, because our lives have not been influenced positively in any form or shape,” he said.
Meanwhile, the State Chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress has thrown its weight behind the pensioners towards their move to overcome their plight over non payment of their gratuity and pension by the state government. The state Chairman, Comrade Akeem Ambali while addressing the pensioners at a stakeholders meeting held recently, debunked the speculations that the labour congress has abandoned them in the struggle.
He pointed out that as part of the measure to support the course, the congress has written to the state government and is still awaiting response. Ambali, added that the congress will give the government 21 days ultimatum to address the issue,adding that failure to do that after the ultimatum would force both the congress and pensioners to effect the next line of action .
The Chairman regretted that,government has continued to pay lip service towards the plight of pensioners,recalling that NLC had a meeting with the governor before the 2015 election,where he promised to pay the gratuity,but has failed to keep the promise till date.
He emphasised that Governor Ibikunle Amosun has also failed to pay the contributory pension fund and gratuity since 2012 a development which is making life unbearable for the pensioners and their families. The NLC chairman ,therefore called on the governor to stand up to his responsibilities by paying the outstanding,and also bring the change he promised in action and not just on paper.
In his own remark,Director of Labour and Productivity, Barrister Samson Oki said all necessary actions will be taken by every quarter, concerned with the payment of the pension and gratuity. The Head of Service,Elder Sola Adeyemi said the government was concerned about the welfare of pensioners in the state and would do everything possible to ensure that all that is outstanding is paid to them.
Represented by Director of State Bureau of Pension, Mrs Taiwo Adebiyi, the number one civil servant in the state commended the the efforts of the pensioners for putting such a stakeholders meeting in place. However, the state government in an address at the meeting commended the pensioners for providing platform to shed more light on governmental activities with respect to pension administration.
The Head of Service, Sola Adeyemi who was represented by Director Bureau of State Pension, Mrs. Taiwo Adebiyi, lamented that the present administration inherited a backlog of gratuity from immediate past administration.
“Regrettably,the current cash crunch occasioned by economic depression made government to prioritize its payment by ensuring regular payment of monthly pension to our senior citizens in order to keep body and soul together while gratuity is paid in accordance with the cash flow of the state”.
The Head of Service added that,government would not allow welfare of pensioners to be overridden by other activities,”as you are all aware that every retired officer is entitled to pension and gratuity or gratuity only based on his/her module of retirement:
“Let me reiterate that paying back monies deducted from retirees salaries when they were in active service is an on going exercise while arrangement is in top gear by the state government to clear the outstanding remittance of workers who fall under contributory pension scheme.”
It would be recalled that the state government had claimed it had paid N2.7 billion in arrears since September 2014 for local government pensioners in the state.
The permanent secretary of the Bureau of Local Government , Ayotunde Kolawole confirmed that the outstanding pension paid was for January to September, adding that the affected pensioners are retired council workers, teaching and non-teaching staff in primary schools.
On how the funds were sourced, the permanent secretary explained that the pension was paid from the monthly allocation the bureau received from the State/Councils Joint Allocation Accounts Committee, JAAC.
Pensioners in Ondo State addressing a press conference
The Chairman of the Pensioners, Kessignton Odukoya while speaking on behalf of members of the union, said he did not know where in the world pensioners are treated like they are being treated in Nigeria. According to him, in Ogun State, pensioners have become outcasts and are being treated like ‘dogs’.
Odukoya said the government has failed to pay their gratitude and pension since 2013,adding that the Governor is fond of making unfulfilled promises,and therefore they (pensioners) are fed up with him. While lamenting on the N2,000 payment by the government to the pensioners monthly , the union described it as ridiculous, saying, the government has refused to comply with the 1999 amended constitution on pension,which called for five year review of pensions as done to salaries.
“ I don’t know anywhere all over the world where pensioners are paid an equivalent of N2,000 monthly pension except Nigeria. An amount not enough to feed dogs of an elite as breakfast being paid to a human being for 30 days. “It would be observed that Ogun State Government had increased workers salaries and wages on four occasions without any recourse to pensioners, hence, there is wide gap between the old and new pensioners of the same retirement conditions.
“All efforts, appeals to the state government to have mercy on us and harmonise the pensioners proved abortive. Series of meetings were held with the government even with Mr Governor in attendance, but always ended in promises that will never materialise. Enough is enough.
“Elders are not only being denied of their walking sticks but also hit below the belt. Ogun State Government should give us a living pension. Pensioners, workers and political leaders buy from the same market. Ogun State Government should please have mercy on us and harmonise our pension.
“Since the advent of this administration, all the requests repeatedly made through various letters, representation and even dialogues and appeals to His Excellency have yielded no result and so, life has been difficult for us on daily basis, because our lives have not been influenced positively in any form or shape,” he said.
Meanwhile, the State Chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress has thrown its weight behind the pensioners towards their move to overcome their plight over non payment of their gratuity and pension by the state government. The state Chairman, Comrade Akeem Ambali while addressing the pensioners at a stakeholders meeting held recently, debunked the speculations that the labour congress has abandoned them in the struggle.
He pointed out that as part of the measure to support the course, the congress has written to the state government and is still awaiting response. Ambali, added that the congress will give the government 21 days ultimatum to address the issue,adding that failure to do that after the ultimatum would force both the congress and pensioners to effect the next line of action .
The Chairman regretted that,government has continued to pay lip service towards the plight of pensioners,recalling that NLC had a meeting with the governor before the 2015 election,where he promised to pay the gratuity,but has failed to keep the promise till date.
He emphasised that Governor Ibikunle Amosun has also failed to pay the contributory pension fund and gratuity since 2012 a development which is making life unbearable for the pensioners and their families. The NLC chairman ,therefore called on the governor to stand up to his responsibilities by paying the outstanding,and also bring the change he promised in action and not just on paper.
In his own remark,Director of Labour and Productivity, Barrister Samson Oki said all necessary actions will be taken by every quarter, concerned with the payment of the pension and gratuity. The Head of Service,Elder Sola Adeyemi said the government was concerned about the welfare of pensioners in the state and would do everything possible to ensure that all that is outstanding is paid to them.
Represented by Director of State Bureau of Pension, Mrs Taiwo Adebiyi, the number one civil servant in the state commended the the efforts of the pensioners for putting such a stakeholders meeting in place. However, the state government in an address at the meeting commended the pensioners for providing platform to shed more light on governmental activities with respect to pension administration.
The Head of Service, Sola Adeyemi who was represented by Director Bureau of State Pension, Mrs. Taiwo Adebiyi, lamented that the present administration inherited a backlog of gratuity from immediate past administration.
“Regrettably,the current cash crunch occasioned by economic depression made government to prioritize its payment by ensuring regular payment of monthly pension to our senior citizens in order to keep body and soul together while gratuity is paid in accordance with the cash flow of the state”.
The Head of Service added that,government would not allow welfare of pensioners to be overridden by other activities,”as you are all aware that every retired officer is entitled to pension and gratuity or gratuity only based on his/her module of retirement:
“Let me reiterate that paying back monies deducted from retirees salaries when they were in active service is an on going exercise while arrangement is in top gear by the state government to clear the outstanding remittance of workers who fall under contributory pension scheme.”
It would be recalled that the state government had claimed it had paid N2.7 billion in arrears since September 2014 for local government pensioners in the state.
The permanent secretary of the Bureau of Local Government , Ayotunde Kolawole confirmed that the outstanding pension paid was for January to September, adding that the affected pensioners are retired council workers, teaching and non-teaching staff in primary schools.
On how the funds were sourced, the permanent secretary explained that the pension was paid from the monthly allocation the bureau received from the State/Councils Joint Allocation Accounts Committee, JAAC.
No comments:
Post a Comment