Osun pensioners complain over non-remittance of pension deductions

*Says we are dying of hunger

By Olaniyi Ajibola, Osogbo

Teaching and non- teaching staff of primary and secondary schools in Osun state, who retired between July 2015 and July 2016, have carpeted the government for its failure to remit deductions from their salaries to pension their administrators.

According to them, this infraction is solely responsible for their economic predicament and has put their lives and that of their families in penury, despite being captured under the contributory pension scheme.

Speaking at a press conference in Osogbo, the Osun state capital on Wednesday, their spokesperson, Comrade Adeosun Adegbemiga carpeted the state government for being insensitive to their plights after serving meritorious for decades.

“We are appealing to the Osun government to graciously put sufficient funds into the contributory pension scheme as its counterpart funding and save thousands of our colleagues from dying.

“We want the government to know that this category of retirees have not received a dime for over three years, a situation that has made our lives extremely miserable.

“We are also appealing to government to release our bond certificates and remit all deductions to our pension administrators after completing the process of our retirement for over three years,” he said.

Adegbemiga further explained that the government has contravened the Contributory Pension Law of Osun state as enacted by the state House of Assembly in 2008, over its failure to remit deductions from their salaries to pension administrators.

Our reporter recalls that another group of pensioners, who retired between 2011/2012 had on Tuesday and Wednesday last week thronged Osogbo metropolis protesting the non -payment of their pension arrears and gratuity, alleging the diversion of the N6.3billion Paris Club refund released by the federal government as bail out to the state.

Chairman of the group, Yemi Lawal said the present government in the state has not made any efforts aimed at bringing succour to pensioners after the protracted economic predicament they suffered during the last administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

He further described retirees in the state as the most traumatized in the country, adding that it was unfortunate that they were suffering instead of enjoying their retirement after decades of meritorious service to the state.

“It would be out of place for the governor to divert a lump sum of N6.3billion Paris refund which was specifically meant for the payment of arrears of pension and other outstanding debts owed by the government.

“Many of our children are out of school because we are unable to pay their school fees; we are indeed in a serious financial mess. The most disheartening part of the issue is that the government has refused to remit its contribution to those who retired under the contributory pension scheme since 2015,” Lawal said

Meanwhile, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Adeniyi Adesina in his reaction described the allegation as “absolute falsehood,” saying the senior citizens have gone to town with baseless claims and unfounded rumours.

“That is absolute falsehood. It is shocking that elderly people can go to town based on falsehood and failed to get their facts right before making wild allegations that are unfounded.

“To set the record straight, the state has not been given any Paris refund. Such funds would be publicly announced if given to any state. That is why I said it is shocking, even to the governor that people who are elders could go to town based on false claims.

“Before the governor came into office, he promised that he would be transparent; he said that he would run a transparent government and he has not reneged on that promise,” Adesina said.

He was however silent on the rationale behind the failure of the government to pay pension and gratuity of the senior citizens as well as reason for non remittance of deductions to pension administrators.