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From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Pensioners in Ogun State, on Thursday, held a one-day prayer session seeking God’s intervention over the alleged refusal of Governor Dapo Abiodun to pay their N68billion gratuity and allowances.
The senior citizens, under the aegis of Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) rendered prayers in both Islamic and Christian ways.
Speaking with journalists after their prayers, chairman, Ogun NUP, Waheed Oloyede said his union resolved to invoking the powers of God on the obstacles that have so far prevented the state governor from addressing their plights having been convinced that there is nothing prayers cannot do.
“We have written a series of letters, we have sent people that we think can assist, but there is no response and we’ve decided that now we send God to him until the government of Ogun State has a listening ear for us. That is the purpose of this gathering”, he stated.
Oloyede listed four demands of the pensioners to include increase in the pensioners monthly take home; increase in the quarterly release of gratuity from N500 Million to N1b; release of their deducted Contributory Pensions to their respective Pensions Fund Administrator (PFAs), as well as the constitution of the Pensions Committee which will administer the affairs of their union.
Lamenting the ordeals of members of his union, the NUP chairman said it will take the state government a period of 34 years to offset the N68b gratuity whose sum it is releasing at N500m quarterly.
“According to the federal government constitution, the pension is supposed to increase every five years or whenever they increase the salary of workers but in Ogun State it has not been done.
“They’ve increased the salaries of workers more than four times but up till now, they have not increased the pension in Ogun State and we have sent the circular from the federal government, because the increase in pension sent by the federal government was as a result of national minimum wage, and the National minimum wage was above for the workers of Ogun State. In November, 2020 up till now, the pension has not increased.
“But at the meeting we had with the representatives of the state government last week Wednesday, they promised that it will be increased and that we should give them till the end of May, 2022 and that is why we are doing this gathering”.
“So we are calling on them that if they don’t, then the Pensioners Fund Administrator (PFA) will not be able to pay them when they go. Therefore, we appeal that they should do something”. Oloyede said.
He, however, declared that his members would not hesitate at staging an open protest to occupy the main roads of the Abeokuta metropolis should the state government fail to meet up with their demands at the end of May, 2022.
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