Pensioners who retired from the services of the Ogun State Government, on Tuesday, demanded the immediate payment of N68bn unpaid gratuities accumulated over the last six years.

The retirees also called for the reversal of the controversial 2020 Pension Reform Bill during a peaceful protest, held on Tuesday, at the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) headquarters, in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

Speaking during a news conference, the State Chairman of the NUP, Chief Waheed Oloyede, explained that the new Pension Reform Bill was not in favour of those who retired from service from 2014 till date, and Local Government retirees from 2011.

The pensioners described as unfortunate, the suspicious manner the bill was hurriedly passed which was deviod of the best legislative practices of public hearing in a democratic setting anywhere in the world.

They rejected the state government proposal reached last Friday with the organised labour, to release N500million quarterly for payment of the unpaid gratuities as from January, 2021.

This proposal is not acceptable to us as it would take 34 years to offset the outstanding N68 billion arrears, rather we would suggest one billion naira monthly release by the government.”the union chairman declared.

The pensioners, among other demands, are calling on the State Government to immediately refund 134 months of contributory pension deductions to the appropriate quarters .

They equally demanded for quick implementation of the National Industrial Court judgement of March 2020 which ordered the State Government to pay pensioners whose Basic Rent and Transport (BRT) were unjustifiably cut between January 2017 and November 2018.

The pensioners threatened to go back to court to compel the government to execute the judgement.

The union is also disturbed that most of the pensioners are still collecting a partry sum of N5,000 monthly pension, calling for immediate implementation of the provisions of the circular on 33.4percent increase in pension issued in 2020 in compliance with the provisions of section 210 subsection three of 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.

They warned Governor Dapo Abiodun against psychopaths capable of bringing his administration to disrepute, asking the governor to always make himself available to the pensioners and address issues affecting them. (Nigerian Tribune)

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