Federal, state pensioners in Ogun tell tale of woes

Best of time for both the federal and state pensioners in Ogun State, as unpaid gratuities and irregular payment of pension have made life very miserable for the senior citizens.
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In the words of one of the aggrieved pensioners, “is it a crime to use once active days to serve his country? Apart from the fact that the amount they expect on monthly basis is too small, between N2, 000 and N4, 000, the payment is also irregular.”
Pension and Youfindings revealed that both federal and state pensioners from government, Ministries, Agencies and Parastatals, MDAs, local government and civil service are affected.
A chat with the Secretary of Nigeria Pensioners Association, Ogun State chapter, Bola Lawal, insisted that the story was not palatable for the senior citizens who used most of their productive years to serve their country but, had been abandoned to their fates.
Three years
gratuities
Lawal who appealed to the state government to pay their three years gratuities since 2012, said the membership of the organisation which comprises retired state workers, was about 22,000.
He claimed that despite spirited efforts to harmonise the payment mode of the members, the government had refused to implement the report.
According to him, “imagine, some members of the organisation are still collecting N2,000 while others are collecting N4,000 per month. We have been agitating that there must be harmonisation in the payment mode. The government set up a committee to look into this and the committee submitted its report, but, the government has not implemented it.”
Lawal however, commended Governor Ibikunle Amosun, for settling some arrears he met while assuming the office in 2011, saying “Ogun State is in the forefront when we compare it with others. We have better welfare package. But, the government still owes us gratuities outstanding since his inception, November 2012.”
Council pensioners demand unpaid benefits
Meanwhile, the state Local Government Pensioners’ Association has called on the state government to pay its members their outstanding pension arrears.
Chairman of the Ijebu-Ode branch of the association, Babatunde Ali, who spoke, disclosed that members of the association had yet to be paid their pension arrears from 2004 to 2007. He said the association had yet to discuss the minimum pension allowance, which pensioners were supposed to enjoy with the government.
He said “we want to appeal to the state government to help us look into the payment of pensioners’ arrears. We served the government faithfully for more than 35 years and we don’t think the government should deny us our rights and entitlements. Many of us are sick, and dying, while some are aged and the only thing we rely upon for survival is our monthly pension which we have not been receiving. Although some of us may be physically challenged, if we are properly taken care of, government can draw from our wealth of experience in developing the state.”
Ali however, explained that efforts made to get the pension arrears paid during the last administration were unsuccessful and appealed to Governor Amosun to urgently look “into the cry of the pensioners.”
Plight of the pensioners
Similarly, chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in the state, Akeem Ambali, while speaking on the plight of the pensioners in the state begged the governor not to leave the contributor pension debt behind after he left office.
According to Ambali, the Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, problems were inherited from the administration of Otunba Gbenga Daniel, but Governor Amosun should try to settle the debt completely.
He said “the problem was inherited by Amosun government. The outstanding remained unsettled completely. Amosun is trying to settle some arrears owing us. The monthly pension, many are yet to get alert. Amosun has settled backlog of arrears, but, we don’t want him to owe us before he leave office like the past government. “We will continue to engage him. He has promised to settle us by December. It appears that the government is having challenges of fund. The Internally General Revenue, IGR has improved tremendously. As he does infrastructure development, he must do human development. Those who are active and those that are retired should be developed.”
Labour issues ultimatum:
Already, the state Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, has issued a 21 day ultimatum to Governor Amosun to address pension deduction amounting to about 50 months.
In a letter dated December 16, 2014, addressed to the governor, the body also asked the government to address unwarranted staggering of salaries in the public service.
The letter was signed by the Acting Chairman and the Secretary of the union, Abiodun Olakanmi and Modiu Akanbi Bello respectively.
The Union said immediate solution to issues raised will avert palpable industrial unrest in the state.
It said the government has refused to react to various letters written to the Governor adding that the government was clearly not interested in the welfare of its workers.
“The Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, Trade Union Side, Ogun State is heavily constrained and concerned that in spite of its several letters ending with the latest dated December 2, 2014 has painfully, yet elicit any positive reaction from the government. The refusal of Government to acknowledge our letter let alone, call for dialogue to jointly resolve the issue is a clear manifestation that the government, unfortunately, is not interested in the welfare and future of the entire public servants in the state.
“In the light of this precarious situation of the Public Service of Ogun State currently find themselves, has mandated the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, Trade Union Side, Ogun State hereby put government on notice of 21 day ultimatum to positively and urgently deploy all necessary actions at resolving issues raised. Our demand therefore is to request of the government to effect immediate solution to these identified issues without delay. It will perhaps, avert palpable industrial unrest in our peace loving state,” the statement read in part.
On his part, Chairman of Nigeria Union of Pensioners, NUP, Chief Kessington Odukoya appreciated the governor for always keeping the welfare of the pensioners at heart and craved that he continued to put smile on the faces of the elders who had served the state meritoriously.