Ogun pensioners beg Gov Abiodun for health relief, pension adjustment

Pensioners in Ogun State have made a passionate appeal to Governor Dapo Abiodun, to address the consequential adjustment of pensions for their survival.

They also asked the State government to float a “Health Relief” under the National Health Insurance scheme that will enable retirees who subscribe to the scheme enjoy 50 percent discount.

This was stated by the State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Comrade Waliu Oloyede, at the annual  Pensioners Day celebration, on Saturday, in Abeokuta.

He explained that pensioners in the State have been receiving same amount of pension, despite wage increase for workers in the mainstream since 2020.

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The Chairman said their request if considered would help in easing the burden of many of them, who are currently battling with one ailments or the other due to old age and other factors.

Oloyede disclosed this on Saturday during the annual celebration of the Pensioners’ Day held at the state secretariat of the pensioners at Leme, Abeokuta.

He said, “The long awaited but seemingly elusive consequental increase in pensions has greatly agitated the minds of the senior citizens whose monthly “take home” cannot take them to bank talk less of taking them back home.

“The paltry sum are grossly inappropriate to purchase drugs for various health challenges nor meet the demands of the present day economic realities.

“We would definitely be happy if Your Excellency can help with the implementation of this consequential adjustment to ease pains of the economically battered senior citizens.

“We also wish to bring to your notice that most, if not all the senior citizens battle one health challenge or the other.

“It is therefore pertinent to say that we the, the aged, the senior citizens mostly need such health relief as being provided by the National Health Insurance Scheme.

“We passionately plead that the pensioners be rightly captured on the National Health Insurance Scheme and a further rebate or discount of 50% benefit should be accrue to would-be subscribers as such has been allowed the mainstream personnel, the active workforce.”

He also pleaded for the inclusion of pensioners alongside other labour unions in the negotiation forum for the new minimum wage saying that this will also help to make informed contributions that could enhance the economic value of the retirees earnings

Oloyede appreciated the Governor Abiodun for increasing backlog of unpaid gratuity from paltry N500m to N2billion, and the recent release of N5.3bn.

 

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE