Ogun Pensioners Organize Prayer Session Over Governor Abiodun's Failure To Pay N68billion Gratuities, Allowances

Ogun NUP Chairman

ABEOKUTA - Following the persistent refusal of Ogun state Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun to address their demands over non-payment of their gratuities and pension, pensioners in Ogun state on Thursday organized one-day prayer session to demystify naturalize the "evil spirit" preventing the governor from paying their outstanding allowances.

The senior citizens, who converged at the state secretariat of their union, rendered songs of adoration to God in both Islamic and Christian ways to intervene on their plights and compel Abiodun to address their plights before they all died in penury.

Speaking with newsmen after their prayers, chairman, Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) in Ogun state, Comrade Waheed Oloyede said his union resolved to invoke God's power on the obstacles that prevented the state governor from addressing their plights having been convinced that there is nothing prayers cannot do.

"We have written series of letter, we have sent people that we think can assist, but there is no response and we've decided that now we send God to him until the government of Ogun State have a listening hear to us. That is the purpose of this gathering".

Oloyede listed four demands of the pensioners to include: increase in the pensioners monthly take home; increase in the quarterly release of gratuity from N500 Million to N1 Billion; release of their deducted Contributory Pensions to their respective Pensions Fund Administrator (PFAs), as well as the constitution of the Pensions Committee which will administer the affairs of their union.

But lamenting the ordeals of members of his union, the Ogun NUP's chairman said it will take the state government a period of 34 years to offset the N68 Billion gratuity whose sum it is releasing at N500 Million quarterly.

"According to the federal government constitution, the pension is supposed to increase every five years or whenever they increase the salary of workers but in Ogun State it has not been done". 

"They've increased the salaries of workers more than four times but up till now, they have not increase the pension in Ogun State and we have sent the circular from the federal government because the increase in pension send by the federal government was as a result of National minimum wage, and the National minimum wage was above for the workers of Ogun State. In November, 2020 up till now, the pension has not been increase". 

"But at the meeting we had with representative of the state government last week Wednesday, they promised that it will be increased and that we should give them till the end of May 2022 and that is why we are doing this gathering".

"So we are calling on them that if they don't then the Pensioners Fund Administrator (PFA) will not be able to pay them when they go. Therefore, we appeal that they should do something".

Oloyede however, declared that his members would not hesitate at staging an open protest to occupy the main roads of the Abeokuta metropolis should the state government fails to meet up with their demands by the end of May 2022