Local govt pensioners appeal to government over unpaid gratuities in Kwara

Pensioners in Kwara state have appealed to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to be more proactive on settling accumulated gratuities of both state and local government retired workers.

Speaking during a one-day seminar for local government pensioners in the16 local government areas of the state in Ilorin on Tuesday, the state chairman, Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Alhaji Saidu Oladimeji, said that local government pensioners are being owed gratuities from 2009 till date, while their state counterpart is being owed from 2014 till date.

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Alhaji Oladimeji, who said that local government pensioners and primary school teachers were being owed payment of arrears of salaries and pension, added that 20 per cent harmonisation had not been paid to local government pensioners.

The pensioners also enjoined the state government to do away with consultancy services in the payment of local government salaries, saying that the development had compounded their woes.

Also speaking, the state secretary of the union, Comrade Abraham Jonah, lamented that pensioners in the state had not been fairing well over the years, saying that motto of the union, “rest is sweet after labour” had become a mirage.

He, however, assured the pensioners that they would soon experience a deserved good living condition, particularly, with steps being taken by present NUP executives.

Comrade Jonah harped on unity, peace and love among retirees, saying that the union is the only recognised organisation under the laws of the country, as no splinter group would be accorded any recognition by the federal ministry of Labour and Employment.