Pensioners in Ogun State, on Tuesday, protested the non-payment of their 12 years gratuities estimated at N68 billion by the state government.

The pensioners, under the aegis of Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), described the Governor Dapo Abiodun-led administration as the “enemy of pensioners” over his failed promises to alleviate their sufferings through prompt payment of their gratuities and other entitlements.

The pensioners, who were armed with placards with various inscriptions, marched from the secretariat in Leme area of the Abeokuta, the state capital, to the governor’s office in Oke-Mosan, chanting anti-government songs to register their grievances.

Some of the inscriptions on their placards read: “Governor Dapo Abiodun, you should know that pensioners slaves, hence they deserve better treatment from the government”, “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 non-chalant to the plights of Ogun pensioners”, among others.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, the NUP chairman, Comrade Waheed Oloyede, accused Governor Abiodun of deliberately punishing pensioners by denying them of their entitlements.

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Lamenting the non implementation of 33.4 per cent increment in their pension, Oloyede said Abiodun has impoverished pensioners by withholding their gratuities, adding that the meager N5,000 minimum pension being paid to some of their members “is grossly inadequate to meet with the present economic demands”.

Oloyede further lamented what he called the “acute lateness” in the payment of their monthly pensions, saying this has caused “untold financial hardship to the senior citizens who expend hugely on various old age ailments.”

“It has become obvious that Governor Dapo Abiodun is insensitive to our plight and is hell-bent to sustain his nonchalant attitude towards the vulnerables.

“Since it is realised that there is a calculated delay in action by the government to further frustrate the senior citizens towards the cemetery as many deaths occur on a daily basis for lack of economic salvation of the aged, we have therefore decided this day, Tuesday, the 27th of August, 2022, to resume our protest.

“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 (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 said.

Addressing the protesters, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Tokunbo Talabi assured the pensioners of quick response to their demands.

He said: “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 current being face with limited resources.”

The Star