N66bn Gratuity: We’ll shut down Ogun, pensioners warn Abiodun

Pensioners in Ogun State, on Wednesday, threatened “unprecedented protest” if Governor Dapo Abiodun fails to pay up their 10 years gratuities and other entitlements, which amount to N66billion.

They gave him a 14-day ultimatum to meet up with their demands.

This is coming less than 24 hours after the organised Labour in the State asked the governor to address what it termed as “pathetic plight” of workers or face an industrial action.

The pensioners under the aegis of the Nigeria Union Of Pensioners (NUP), lamented poor living condition, saying “most pensioners are on N5,000 monthly pension, which is not enough to feed dogs of a governor in one day, yet the elder citizens are denied of their paltry sum.”

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They expressed their anger in a letter addressed to Abiodun.

The letter was jointly signed by the State Chairman and the Secretary of NUP, Waheed Oloyede and Bola Lawal.

The senior citizens berated Abiodun for not implementing 33.4 percent increment in pension as directed by the Federal Government.

They said Abiodun only paid only N2 billion out of N68 billion backlog of gratuities and other entitlements, hanging on his government’s neck.

“It could be observed that since the inception of your administration in this state, the elder citizens have been treated with non-challant attitude culminating into unprecedented sufferings of the pensioners in the State.

“It is unfortunate that, the non-payment of pension coincided with the period of party primaries both at the state and national levels. Much as we are not against political activities, we are seriously against the situation where political activities expenditures is the bane of Pensioners hunger.

“In view of aforementioned, the Ogun State Pensioners are fully ready to demand for their right by the only option they have unprecedented protest. Enough is enough.

“The Ogun State Government is hereby given 14days ultimatum to implement all our demands and pay both May and June, 2022 monthly pension in full, otherwise the fire on the mountain would drop down.

“We know some governors who came into office at the same time with Your Excellency who have paid between N18 billion to N25 billion to offset unpaid gratuities they met on ground, but unfortunately, Ogun state government paid only N2 billion out of N68 billion on ground in three years, meaning that many pensioners would die without being paid their life entitlements,” the pensioners lamented.

The Head of Service, Dr Nofiu Aigoro, confirmed receipt of the letters and assured that the government would address the demands of the organised labour and the pensioners.

Aigoro said the government would not want any disruption in the state by a way of protest or industrial action.

He said, “We have received the letters and it’s been attended to, through His excellency, the governor. Hopefully, government will address it (before expiration of the ultimatum). This is because as a government, we won’t want any disruption. That’s what I can say for now.”  (Daily Trust)