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BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
Some aggrieved pensioners in Osun State, on Tuesday, urged Governor Gboyega Oyetola to drag his predecessor, Rauf Aregbesola, before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for failing to offset their pension and gratuity during his tenure as governor.
The retirees made the call while protesting against the inability of the state government to pay their entitlements, including outstanding half salary arrears, of over 15 months.
The pensioners who took to the street on Tuesday, stormed the state secretariat in Osogbo, displaying placards bearing varying inscriptions amid anti-government songs to drive home their grievances.
The senior citizens, including the retired primary and secondary school teachers, while addressing the Deputy Governor, Benedict Alabi, demanded for the probe of their contributory pension fund administrators on how the bailout fund released to the Aregbesola-led administration was spent.
Noting that the Oyetola-led administration had been blaming the past government for its inability to offset their entitlements, the pensioners said the state should investigate the matter.
Salami Bamidele, who spoke on behalf of the pensioners, said that there was need for a probe as suggested based on the claim by Oyetola that he inherited unpaid entitlements.
“From the way you (deputy governor) talked, I can see that you don’t have regard for us. If you truly prioritised us and know that we are hungry since last year December, the money we are getting should have been improved upon.
“You are claiming that you paid our money but it is a lie. You are releasing N708 million monthly for pensioners but what gets to us under the contributory pension Slscheme is very little compared to our population.
“We met the governor in July and he promised us that he would improve on it. We did not see any difference as government continued to give us N150 million in March and April which is not even every month.”
