Unpaid Gratuity: We may persuade our children to work against gov. Abiodun’s re-election- Ogun LG Pensioners
Local government pensioners in Ogun state may work against governor Dapo Abiodun’s re-election in 2023 over failure of the current administration to pay their (pensioners’) N68bn gratuity.
The pensioners who addressed the press in Abeokuta, the state capital through their Chairman, Chief Sikiru Ayilara on Thursday described governor Abiodun as disrespectful to older generation and humanity at large.
He lamented that all the 14 letters that the pensioners wrote to Abiodun concerning the matter were ignored, this, according to the Chairman has led to the death of many of the pensioners.
He also regretted that despite several appeals, the governor in the last three years, has been giving excuses that his government is lacking sufficient funds to clear the ₦68bn debt.
His words”The truth is, in the last three years, Gov Abiodun has been giving flimsy excuses; insufficient funds to clear the ₦68bn.
“Whereas, Gov Zulum of Borno State, in spite of the incessant insurgencies in the state, was able to source for sufficient fund to pay ₦12bn outstanding Gratuity in one day.
“Gov Seyi Makinde received an Award recently through his Commissioner of Information being a friend of Pensioners for his sincerity of purpose towards payment of gratuity. Of recent, Makinde paid ₦8bn outstanding Gratuity in a day; a State with low IGR compared to Ogun State of Prince Dapọ Abiodun.
“It appears we will have no other options than to persuade our children to work against his re-election in 2023.”
The pensioners however requested that; immediate harmonization of monthly pension from ₦5,000 to start from at least ₦30,000, the re-scheduling of outstanding Gratuity payment from ₦500m every three months to at least ₦2bn monthly.
They also requested that gov Abiodun should restore the principal responsibility of Bureau of Local Govt Pension by directing the Ministry of Finance to handoff from doing the payment of Gratuity.
He said “We are not only asking for the implementation of 33.4% increase in Pensions which could only peg the monthly minimum Pensions at N7,000. We want immediate harmonization of monthly pension from ₦5,000 to start from at least ₦30,000.
“We don’t want the payment of ₦1.5bn arrears of the quarterly ₦500m as requested by the NUP, all that we are asking for is the re-scheduling of outstanding Gratuity payment from ₦500m every three months to at least ₦2bn monthly, so that we can receive our Gratuity while alive.
He added “And thirdly, Gov Abiodun should restore the principal responsibility of Bureau of Local Govt Pension by directing the Ministry of Finance to handoff from doing the payment of Gratuity.”
