Oyo approves pension arrears’ payment
BY OLA AJAYI
IBADAN— PENSIONERS in Oyo State who struggled in vain to get their arrears of the 142 per cent pension increase paid to them by the last administration can now heave a sigh of relief as Governor Abiola Ajimobi has approved the payment.
Ajimobi said that the payment of the arrears, spanning five years and two months, would go a long way in mitigating the suffering of the pensioners who, he said, had not been fairly treated by the immediate past administration.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Alhaji Akin Olajide, the governor assured serving civil servants that their welfare would continue to be given priority attention by his administration.
Also, the governor signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an automobile firm, DAG Motorcycle Industries Nigeria Limited, for the procurement and distribution of 1,000 units of tricycles for the people of the state.
At the signing of the agreement between the government and the state branch of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners, NUP at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office yesterday in Ibadan, Ajimobi said the gesture was a demonstration of his administration’s commitment to the welfare of the people of the state.
Responding to the gesture, the Chairman of the state branch of NUP, Alhaji Lateef Adegoke, commended the governor for approving the payment of the arrears which, he said, his members had been struggling for in the last six years.
According to him, “It is indeed a good development for pensioners in Oyo State. It is wonderful and unbelievable. We had been struggling for the payment in the last six years. The last administration gave us several promises to pay the money but they failed to fulfill the promises.
In fact, they told us in October 2010 that by December of that year, the arrears would be paid. When we went back to them, they told us that there was no money to pay us as they were already preparing for campaign for their second term.
That is why I am extremely grateful to Gov. Ajimobi who has graciously approved the payment of the arrears, just three months after he assumed office. This shows that the governor has the interest of his people at heart.”
The counsel to the union, Mr. Lasun Sanusi, SAN, described the event as epoch-making, saying it had put paid to the suffering to which the pensioners had been subjected in the last six years.
On the signing of the MoU for the procurement of 1,000 tricycles, the governor said it was part of the poverty alleviation programme of his administration.
“It is our plan to ensure that every employable citizen of Oyo State is engaged and to ensure that the level of unemployment is grossly reduced. This is why we are entering into this agreement to make available 1,000 tricycles for our people,”, he said.
