The Chairman of the Local Government Pensioners Association of Nigeria, (LOGPAN) Ogun State branch, Chief Sikiru Ayilara has frowned at the insistence of Governor Dapo Abiodun to continue paying the sum of Five Hundred million naira (₦500m) on a quarterly basis in an effort to clear the backlog of outstanding gratuity.
Chief Ayilara stated that it was inhuman for the governor to insist on spreading the outstanding payment across thirty-four years (34), lamenting that the majority of the pensioners may not live to receive their sweats of thirty-five (35) years.
“We thank our governor for the payment but we don’t appreciate it because if you divide sixty-eight billion naira outstanding with five hundred million naira every three months, it will take thirty-four years and that was when he resumed office in 2019.
“By now the money is more than that meaning that by the time he will be leaving office, the payment extension will be more than sixty years,” he stated.
The Chairman cited examples of Oyo and Borno states governors that were considerate enough in paying gratuity with substantial amounts: N7.6bn and N16bn respectively.
“Oyo state paid N7.6billion naira as gratuity. In Borno state, as much as Boko Haram is disturbing them, the governor paid N16billion naira. Are we saying the two states are richer than Ogun State?
“Think of it: someone retired at age sixty, his gratuity is not paid for ten years and the governor now promised to spread the payment for thirty-four years. Is it not indirect ways of saying go and take your pension in the grave!
“To worsen the situation, when they were reaching the agreement, we the stakeholders were not invited”, Ayilara lamented.
May Day: Pensioners knock Gov Abiodun over ₦500m quarterly gratuity payment
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