Pensioners’ protest ground Akure, govt promises to pay

Pensioners in Ondo State under the auspices of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) Tuesday took to the streets to protest non-payment of their gratuities, unpaid monthly allowances and harmonisation arrears.

The protesters, who had converged on its office in Alagbaka area of the Akure, the state capital as early as 8.00am, marched to the State Secretariat, chanting solidarity songs.

Their protest led to traffic gridlock along the popular Oba-Adesida road, Arakale road and the road linking the town to the state secretariat.

Armed with various placards with inscriptions like: ‘Ondo State Government owes us N13 Billion’, ‘Pay Arrears of 15% pension increase’ and ‘Our gratuities yet to be paid since 2011 December to both state and Local Government Pensioners’ disrupted free flow of traffic for hours.

The senior citizens said they had earlier made a press release on 18th July, 2015 in which they warned that they would not hesitate to have a showdown with the state government for being “recalcitrant” to their pressing needs for non-payment of backlog of arrears, allowances and gratuities that have cumulated to over N13billion.

The aggrieved protesters also demanded the immediate removal of the State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade over his comment that the state government did not owe pensioners any allowances.

They urged the government to pay pensioners from the bailout fund that the Federal Government will release.

A statement signed by the state NUP Chairman, Chief. Raphael Adetuwo and the State Secretary of the union, Prince Adejare Adesida and Chief L.F Omoniyi, State Treasurer, decried the insensitivity of the state government to their plight.

They said: “We are therefore constrained to inform your Excellency, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, our Governor and the people of Ondo State that the Ondo State government is owning Ondo State Pensioners Arrears of 15% pension increase paid in the year 2012. Gratuities yet to be paid since 2011 December to both state and local government pensioners. The 33% pension increase approved by the Federal Government is also yet to be implemented.”