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By Bimbola Oyesola
Members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Lagos State council, have charged the Lagos State governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to ensure the implementation and payment of arrears of consequential pension increase as recently approved by President Muhammadu Buhari. This is even as they appealed for the state government’s intervention for a befitting office building.
Speaking at the quadrennial delegates’ election at the weekend, the chairman of the NUP in Lagos State, who was re-elected for a second term, Alexander Oluremi Johnson, said the state council had not been able to have any infrastructure in place due to the lean purse of the union as a result of the state being the first to embrace the Contributory Pension Scheme, though he said the state government had been regular in the payments of monthly pensions.
He said, “However, the struggle continues on the union’s agitation for pension increase and payment of gratuities.
“We are happy to report back to this august house that the union’s request for the implementation and payment of arrears of consequential pension increase resulting from the wage increase of year 2019 had been put before the state government.”
Johnson, reiterated his commitment to work for the betterment of the pensioners, avowing: “I am highly elated and I thank God because he is the one that gives promotion and my work has not been in vain. They made me know that I deserve another term; they should expect more from me.”
According to him, a good leader does not take decisions alone, rather he takes the decision made by the majority.
Vice-president of NU, South-West, Elder Ayo Kumapayi, commended the delegates on their peaceful conduct, and advised the exco to keep up the good work.
“They’ve been working well and made some substantial achievements, but I will advise them to work for having their own state headquarters because they are the only ones in the South-West without state headquarters. We appeal to the state government to help them in that regard,” he said.
Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Lagos State Council, Funmi Sessi, lauded the NUP for conducting a peaceful election without rancour.
She urged other unions to emulate the pensioners.
“Democracy should be allowed to thrive in our society. If someone tries to put his or her personal interest first, we will surely have crisis during election. It’s not only good enough to say I want to serve, it should be a democratic setting where people will have a voice in choosing who to lead them and not for us to enforce ourselves on to the people,” Sessi said.
Others elected at the election include, Dr. Titus Aderemi, Vice Chairman, Temitayo Adegoke, Public Relations Officer, Abel Orojo, Treasurer, Tawakalitu Kadara, Auditor, Elder Ayo Ogunlade and Shakiru Davies, Trustees 1 and 2 respectively.
