Members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) in Ogun State, on Tuesday, protested over the non-payment of 12 years of gratuities running into N68 billion over a period of 12 years.
The pensioners marched from their secretariat located at Leme area of Abeokuta, the state capital to the Governor’s Office, singing anti-government songs to express their displeasure over their unpaid entitlements.
The senior citizens described the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, as an “enemy of pensioners” for failing in his promises to pay their gratuities and other entitlements which had subjected them to untold hardship.
While speaking with journalists after the protest, the state Chairman of NUP, Comrade Waheed Oloyede, accused the governor of being insensitive to their plights, by paying lip service to the rights of the pensioners.
Oloyede lamented the non-implementation of a 33.4 per cent increment in their pension, saying withholding of their gratuities had further impoverished his members.
“It has become obvious that Governor Dapo Abiodun is insensitive to our plight and is hell-bent to sustain his nonchalant attitude towards the vulnerable.
“Since it is realized 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 a 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 currently being faced with limited resources.”