Displaced pensioners: When senior citizens opened IDP camp in Osun

Life has never been any better for Nigerian pensioners after active service to local, state or federal government. Their pathetic stories are always laced with deprivation, suffering, sickness, homelessness and untimely deaths precipitated by unpaid pension allowances and gratuities.

Failure of successive governments and some segments of the private sector to ensure payment of their pension allowances and gratuities compelled former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, to introduce the Contributory Pension Scheme as a means of guaranteeing a secured future for those still in active service. But, this approach has not alleviated the excruciating pains and frustration being experienced by pensioners and other categories of workers still in active service.

This is because some state governments have failed to remit pension deductions from their employees’ salaries into their accounts being managed by Pension Funds Administrators (PFAs).

In Osun State, the story is not different with the endless agitation by pensioners for the payment of their allowances by the state government. Majority of them are being overwhelmed by the vagaries of poverty, anguish and despair with a lot of them bugged down by ill health, despite claims by the government that accorded topmost priority to their welfare with the commitment of N3.9 billion to pension payment in 2016.

The plight of retirees in Osun assumed a strange dimension last Monday, when the Forum of 2011/2012 Retired Public Servants of Osun State organised the Internally Displaced Pensioners (IDPs) camp for its members in the state.

Many were jolted by the development, especially those who believed that IDPs camps were only created by government or agencies, for those displaced by violence,  national disasters war, communal or religious hostilities and terror like the IDP camp in Borno State.

When reports of the IDP camp in Osun broke, the development raised further curiosity of the public plight of the retirees and how the managers of the centre body was making frantic efforts to ameliorate their challenges.

When contacted on Friday regarding the rationale behind the setting up of the camp, the chairman, Forum of 2011/2012 Retired Public Servants of the state, Comrade Omoniyi Ilesanmi, alleged that the government, had already displaced pensioners”.

“We have been displaced by non-payment of our entitlement, which has been reduced to half,  since July 2015 to December, 2016, and the long overdue of our gratuities from 2008. Some retirees, who are sick, cannot buy drugs to treat their ailments.

“In the same vein, some of our colleagues pensioners who live in rented houses and who are unable to pay their house rents have been packing out. Some of them are now living in uncompleted and dilapidated buildings. In fact, if you see them, they look like lunatics, while our children have also been sent out of schools over failure to pay fees.

“From this standpoint, we have decided to set up the camp to offer assistance to some, who were terribly battered by the failure of the government to pay their pension allowances. Some concerned members of the public have donated food items and other commodities, including bags of rice which were distributed to the pensioners who showed up at the camp.

“Doctors and medical personnel were on hand to  check the blood pressure of the retirees,  and other health status”, Ilesanmi stated.

On whether the idea to set up the IDPs camp  was politically motivated, he decleared. “We are not being pushed or sponsored by any political party. We are only fighting for our rights. We want to raise public awareness about the pitiable condition of pensioners in Osun State.”

Similarly, in a statement made available to Sunday Tribune in Osogbo, Ilesanmi alleged there were “many wrong impression and falsehood being peddled around by the government of Osun State and his agents.”

According to the statement, “it is incredible to hear that the governor said he does not owe pension or salary after the payment of December 2016 half payment. Between 2008 and 2012, Osun State government owe the pensioners in the state N22 billion as gratuities till today.

“The government of Osun is using the sum of N520million to pay our full monthly pension and by calculation, the government is owing us complete nine month pension (18 months halves). As of today, Osun State government owes us N4.7 billion as pension arrears. Then, the total indebtedness of the Osun State government to retirees in the state amounts to N26.7billion.”

The whole world must note that as at January 9, 2017, no fewer than 1,468 pensioners in the state have lost their lives, while waiting for their statutory emoluments owed by the government. Our record also shows that 500 pensioners are currently on their sick beds, without money to buy drugs for their ailments.”

“The only solution to the present imbroglio is for the government to start immediate payment of our gratuities and nine months, pension arrears, otherwise our agitation will continue.”

But, the government has described the setting up of the IDPs camp for pensioners as wicked propaganda aimed at blackmailing Governor Rauf Aregbesola. Reacting to the issue, the  director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the governor, Mr Semiu Okanlawon,  said if indeed, any camp was set up, it could not be to demand payment of any pension.

His morals: This is taking the joke too far. There should be limit to campaigns of calumny and deliberate fabrications of emotive conditions all in desperation to diminish the achievements of a government. It was common knowledge that Osun State ended the Year 2016 in the most financially boisterous mood ever, with the payment of four months’ salaries to active workers and pensions to the passive workers.

“For the purpose of record, pensioners on N1,000-N20,000 collected 100% pension; Those on N20,001-N80,000 collected N75% pension and pensioners on N80,001 collect 50% of their pension. By our calculations, Osun State pensioners alone got at least N1,539,227,442.75 out of the N14.2 billion paid to active and passive workers in the last two weeks as arrears of four months’ salaries and pensions, excluding what the local government pensioners were paid for the same period.”

“Without celebrating the failings of other places, the Osun government today is prominent among the states that have taken payment of pensions as a priority. It is therefore pertinent to ask these people what is the grouse against Governor Rauf Aregbesola. It certainly cannot be their pensions.”

Also, Omowaiye Oluremi, Media Aide to the Osun governor, said it was “disheartening to read a newspaper make a mockery of the government by circulating tendentious picture of misguided pensioners, less than 100 in number, claiming to have opened an IDPs camp without recourse to ethical and professional requirement of investigation, in order to have a well-balanced report.

“We share the pains of the people and governments of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, who have some of their citizens and residents in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps. We sympathise with the victims of terrorist attacks who have lost family members, their homes, valuables and possessions, and are left with no other home apart from the IDPs camps.

“The Aregbesola administration is forging ahead to deliver on all promises to the people of the state; complete all projects embarked upon; make life more meaningful for the citizens; expand the horizon of economic activities; attain enviable heights in all facets of human endeavour, and leave behind a legacy for championing a free and egalitarian society, devoid of poverty, violence, crime and injustice.

“We appeal for understanding, support and cooperation from all citizens and residents, in order to transform our dream of a great and prosperous state into reality for our generation and the yet to be born,” he said.