Osun Pensioners Protest Non-payment Of Gratuities As Govt Releases N708m

A group of retirees that left employment of Osun State Government on Contributory Pension scheme called Forum of Contributory Pensioners in Osun State, on Thursday staged a peaceful protest in Osogbo, demanding payment of their retirement benefits.

The pensioners, who walked through Freedom Park, Osogbo, to the premises of state House of Assembly, where they were received by the Speaker, Timothy Owoeye, displayed large banner where their seven-point demand was written.

They added that they had faced hardship over the non-payment of their entitlements.

Lamenting that the sum of N150m allocated for the payment of pensions under CPS each month by government was inadequate, the protesters demanded increase in the monthly allocation to N500m.

Speaking with CityMirrorNews after the protest, the leader of the group, George Animasaun, said, “We want government to increase monthly allocation to contributory pensioners from the current N150m to N500m. If that is done, we will not have to wait for too long after retirement before our benefits will be paid.

“We are also demanding payment of our arrears of half salaries owed by the previous administration, which the current administration promised to pay within one year, but the promise has not been fulfilled.”

Meanwhile, Osun State Government on Thursday announced the release of the sum of N708m to further offset pension arrears of retired officers of the state civil service.

A press release signed by the Head of Service, Dr Festus Oyebade, explained that the sum of “N508m of the released sum was approved for the payment of retired civil servants, while an additional sum of N 150m was approved for the payment of retirees under the contributory pensions scheme.”