By Demola Akinyemi

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State has waded into the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, NUP, accommodation problem and directed that temporary accommodation be secured for the group pending the construction of another secretariat.

Recall that the state Geographic Information Service, KGIS, had given the NUP August 31 to vacate their state secretariat as following ongoing urban renewable project to beautify the state capital by the state government with notices given to owners of structures with attachments considered obstructing free flow of traffic to remove such.

The NUP secretariat along Commissioners way in GRA Ilorin is one of structures affected by the directive

NUP had earlier pleaded with the governor to intervene in their plight. In response to the appeal, Vanguard gathered that the governor directed that the temporal accommodation be secured for them pending when they would construct another secretariat.

The Special Assistant to the governor on Labour Matters, AbdulMumeen Onagun, disclosed the governor’s intention. He said, “His Excellency has directed the Office of Head of Service, HOS, to secure a temporary accommodation for the Union pending when a permanent Secretariat will be built by NUP.

“State Secretary of NUP just confirm this now, today, (Saturday, 07/09/2024) when he told me that the Permanent Secretary of Establishments and Training in the office of Head of Service called him for briefing accordingly.

“Further discussions on the matter is slated for Monday, 09/09/2024 (today). I must remark here that as soon as i was informed of the development last week, I intimated the appropriate quarters and action was initiated appropriately.”

The NUP secretariat along Commissioners way in GRA ilorin is one of structures affected by the directive.

The NUP Chairman, Saidu Oladimeji and the Secretary, Chief Abraham Gana, respectively, in an appeal to the governor while reacting to a letter, titled, “Removal Notice” from the Kwara State Geographic service and dated August 30, 2024, said:”The Union does not say it will not quit but all that its  saying is that an alternative building should be provided for its operations, while a piece of land should also be allocated for the construction of a new secretariat.

“The union pointed out that for long, it has taken many measures including applying for an alternative place to operate as a Secretariat, applying for a piece of land to build its own Secretariat and other actions taken by the Union, but all our steps have yielded no positive result.

“Surprisingly, the Kwara State Geographic Information Service just went ahead to issue a removal letter in which the Union was given 24 hours to quit. This is completely a harsh and unfair actions! “The Union, therefore, viewed the action as not only bad but also it is a great hardship and inconvenience for the Union.

“It will be recalled that the Union has been fully cooperating with the present administration since its inception and has also been giving it an unalloyed support but this kind of treatment is not good for the pensioners who are senior citizens.

“If the government has for a long time granted its request, it should have completed building a new secretariat which His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kwara State, should have been invited to commission.

“The Union, therefore, humbly pleaded with the Government to temper justice with mercy by rescinding its decision over the quit notice while the Union should be given an alternative place to operate pending the time it will construct a new secretariat.

“The Union similarly appealed to our God-fearing and listening Governor to as a matter of urgency allocate the Union a piece of land for its new Secretariat assuring that if this is done, a new Secretariat will be constructed.

“The Union does not say it will not quit but all that is saying is that an alternative building should be provided for its operations.