April 17, 2018

The Nigerian Union of Pensioners, Ogun Council, said on Tuesday that it would institute a legal action against the State Government over its alleged violation of the Pension Laws.

The state Chairman of the union, Mr Olujimi Odukoya, made this known at news conference in Abeokuta.

Odukoya said that the union would institute the legal action to seek redress of the alleged injustice meted to the retirees.

He alleged that Gov. Ibikunle Amosun had unconstitutionally scrapped the Bureau of Local Government Pensions and it activities were taken over by the office of the state Accountant-General.

The chairman also claimed that the state government had contravened the guidelines of defined gratuity payment and introduced another guideline based only on basic salary, rent and transportation.

According to him, government had failed to comply with the constitutional provision on review of pension alongside the civil service salary every five years.

Odukoya said that the contravention of the pension laws had led to poor pension management in the state and left pensioners in the state in sorry state.

“Retired primary school teachers have continued to clamour for the review of their pensions from 1991 to 2010 while their gratuities had remained unpaid from 2011 to date.

“Like the retired primary school teachers, the gratuities of state pensioners were paid up to June, 2013 only.

“The union had been rejecting these violations of the pension laws but the state government had gone ahead with its illegal act,’’ he said.

The chairman said that the retirees would also embark on strike to register their displeasure.

“Many people may wonder if it is possible for pensioners to embark on strike, but we shall let them know that we have our own way of embarking on strike.’’