The pensioners in Ogun State have called on Governor Dapo Abiodun to stop playing lip service to their rights and plights, as the senior citizens protested the non-payment of their 12 years’ gratuities estimated at N68billion.
Penpushing reports that, the protesters under the banner of Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) described the administration as the enemy of pensioners, following refusal to fulfil promises of prompt payment of their gratuities and other entitlements.
The protesters chanting anti-government songs were seen marching from their headquarters located along Abiola way in Abeokuta, to the Governor’s office, and carrying placards with various inscriptions such as “Governor Dapo Abiodun, you should know that pensioners are not slaves, hence they deserve better treatment from the government”.
Penpushing further reports that other inscriptions read, ‘Mr Governor why did you disobey your father’s instructions to cater for pensioners?”; “Governor Dapo Abiodun stop paying lip service to the rights of the senior citizens in the state”; “Mr Governor address unpaid arrears of 12 years gratuities now”! and “Mr Governor has been nonchalant to the plights of Ogun pensioners”.
The chairman of Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), Waheed Oloyede who led his colleagues on the protest accused the governor of deliberately punishing pensioners by denying them of their entitlements.
Penpushing also reports that he lamented the non-implementation of a 33.4 per cent increment in their pension, saying Abiodun has impoverished pensioners by withholding their gratuities, noting that the meagre N5,000 minimum pension being paid to some of their members is grossly inadequate to meet with the present economic demands.
The chairman fumed on what he noted as acute lateness in the payment of their monthly pensions, stressing that this has caused untold financial hardship for them, pointing that they have been spending a huge amount of money on various old age related ailments.
“This protest is meant to appeal to all well-meaning citizens of Ogun State, to prevail on Governor Dapo Abiodun to redeem all his promises on the basis of equity, justice and fairness to the ageing pensioners who now face varying health and psycho-social ageing challenges’, he said.
“He (Abiodun) should be reminded that our entitlements are only enjoyable in the land of the living but not in the grave. He should please help to reduce the sharp incidences of daily occurrences of deaths of pensioners in recent times”, Oloyede added
Penpushing reports that, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Tokunbo Talabi while addressing the protesters assured them of a quick response to their demands, adding that government is doing her best all their demands are met
“We are trying our best to make sure that all your demands are urgently attended to. You have a legitimate right to make these demands, but we are currently being faced with limited resources”,Talabi said
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