The Local Government Pensioners Association of Nigeria (LOGPAN), has alleged that non-payment of monthly allowances to its members nationwide has resulted into untimely death of many of them.
This allegation was made in a communique issued after the National Executive Council meeting of the association recently in Lagos.
In the communique, signed by Chief Julius Obafemi Adekoya, Revd. Apostle H. Omo Ilune and Alhaji Dr. Olayiwola Jegede, National President, General Secretary and PRO respectively, the association claimed that the arrears range from eight to over 20 months in some states of the federation.
The association which said the situation caused its unfortunate members the inability to get the appropriate treatment of their ailments which resulted in deaths.
It therefore called on the federal, states and local governments to pay the arrears of the monthly pension allowances and gratuities to these elder statesmen who had served the nation meritoriously for three and a half decades, in the prime of their ages.
LOGPAN also called on all local government retirees in all states of the federation to register and be its members, as it is always in the fore front to find solutions to the chronic issues that affect them.
The association called on its chapters all over the country to cooperate and work in unity with the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), which is the umbrella body of pensioners in the country, so that their struggle for their welfare and improvement could be easily achieved.
It was further resolved that the association should continue to struggle for the attainment of the sectorial autonomy, which will go a long way to improve the conditions of local government retirees and commended the National Assembly for overwhelmingly voting the granting of autonomy to local governments.
It however urged the national assembly to also add a caveat that will prevent the state governments from tampering with the financial benefits that would accrue to the local governments from the federal government.
The association urged the state chapters to pay up their annual levies to pave easy way for the national body to implement its administrative duties and as well carry out satisfactorily, the official national assignments bestowed on it.
