Tag: Ekiti pensioners

  • Ekiti pensioners laud Fayemi for payment of pension

    Ekiti State Association of Retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries has praised Governor Kayode Fayemi for his efforts in prioritising the welfare of the pensioners.

    The ex-bureaucrat explained that Fayemi places high premium on the payment of salaries and allowances of civil servants and pensioners, saying these would help in improving the economy of the state and wellbeing of the citizens.

    The pensioners also decried the kidnapping and eventual killings of some local government officials while returning to Ado Ekiti from their duty posts, describing the action as saddening and horrific.

    They called for more deployment of security operatives to strategic interstate roads that have become dangerous for commuters and motorists to allay the fear of being kidnapped.

    Recently, the Director of Administration of Gbonyin Local Government, Mr David Jejelowo, and two staff of Emure Council Area, were kidnapped by abductors along Ado-Ijan and Ikere-Ise roads. On the same day, an accountant with the Emure Council Area, Mr. Abayomi Ajayi, was shot by the same gang of kidnappers, who laid siege to highways across the state.

    The ex-civil servants urged the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Asuquo Amba, and sister agencies’ chiefs to strengthen their security architecture and comb the forests being used by the bandits for their hide out.

    In a statement issued and co-signed by its chairman, Mr. A. Ajayi and secretary, Kunle Olofin, after its meeting, it said: “Members expressed worries over the deteriorating security situation in Ekiti State which has led to several kidnaps and loss of lives. Members appealed to the governor as the Chief Security Officer to ensure adequate deployment of security personnel to all the nooks and crannies, especially all the inter-state roads.”

     

  • Unpaid benefits: Seven Ekiti  pensioners die in two weeks

    Unpaid benefits: Seven Ekiti pensioners die in two weeks

    •Retirees to Fayose: pay our entitlements

    Seven local government pensioners have died in Ekiti State in the last two weeks following the hardship they faced with non-payment of their pensions and gratuities, it was learnt yesterday.

    At their monthly meeting yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, the council’s pensioners urged Governor Ayo Fayose to pay their eight-month pension arrears.

    They also urged the governor to pay them their gratuities, which had not been paid in the last five years.

    The pensioners regretted that the situation had caused them untold hardship.

    Acting under the aegis of Concerned Local Government Pensioners’ Forum, the pensioners expressed shock over the spate of deaths of retirees who could not take care of themselves.

    In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting and signed by the forum’s Protem Coordinator, Alhaji Quadri Oguntuase, and Secretary, Mr. Biodun Agboola, the agitated pensioners urged the state government to accord pensioners’ welfare utmost priority.

    The communique gave the names of the seven pensioners who died in the last two weeks as: Mr. J. O. Ojo, Mr. Adedayo Ojo, Mrs. Modupe Aribisala, Mr. Abegunde, Mr. Ogunleye, Mrs. Adelugba and Alhaji Abdullahi.

    The retirees observed a minute’s silence in honour of the seven, who attended last month’s meeting.

    The forum reminded the state government that local government pensioners had only been paid up till February, “contrary to the state government’s pronouncement in the media”.

    Addressing reporters at the end of the meeting, Oguntuase expressed dismay at the condition of the retirees who he said served diligently in their prime but dumped to poverty and hardship in their latter years.

    He said: “The situation has become unbearable for us and we have no option than to cry to for world to know that pensioners are suffering in Ekiti.

    “The rate at which we are dying is alarming. Imagine the harvest of deaths in the last two weeks! Seven of our members died within the period and the situation was caused by non-payment of our benefits.

    “It’s because our monthly pensions are not paid. Many of us lack the money to eat and to take care of our families. The denial of our rights has made many of us to become irresponsible fathers and husbands at home. In fact, many of those who died had no money to buy drugs to manage their ailments or to take themselves to hospitals. Things are as bad as that.

    “We want the state government to pay us our pensions and gratuities. We believe it is not an offence to diligently serve our fatherland. The government should not watch while we suffer, because our entitlements are our rights. We should not be denied of them.”

     

     

  • ‘Five Ekiti pensioners die in one month’

    ‘Five Ekiti pensioners die in one month’

    •Retirees pray over unpaid pensions

    Local government pensioners in Ekiti State have cried out over what they called “high mortality rate” among their colleagues, following unpaid pensions.

    Acting under the aegis of Association of Local Government Concerned Pensioners (ALGCP), they implored Governor Ayo Fayose to pay their nine-month arrears of pensions and backlog of gratuities dating back to 2012.

    At a prayer session organised by the pensioners in Ado-Ekiti on Monday, they alleged their colleagues had died in the last one year.

    They said lack of money to buy food and drugs was responsible.

    One of the resolutions passed at the end of an emergency meeting after the prayer was the dissolution of the executives of the Local Government Pensioners Association of Nigeria (LGPAN), who had been in office for 20 years.

    In a communiqué by ALGCP Chairman, Oguntuase Quadri and Secretary, Fatai Ayilara, the retirees threatened to opt out of LGPAN if no action was taken within 21 days.

    They decried what they called non-accountability of LGPAN on monthly and yearly dues and remittances, and failure to represent the interest of the pensioners.

    The communiqué reads: “The Association of Local Government Concerned Pensioners (ALGCP) observes with sorrow continued increase in the mortality rate among pensioners due to avoidable and treatable illnesses and ailments.

    “The association laments the non-payment of gratuities since 2012 and pensions in the last nine months.

    “It condemns the perpetuity of the executive members of the association, who have been in office for over 20 years.

    “The association frowns at the ‘cult-like’ operations of the so-called executive members.

    “Although the association appreciates the governor’s magnanimity in appointing the LGPAN Chairman, Chief Adekogba, as a Special Assistant, concerned pensioners are dismayed at his continued functioning in that office after the appointment.

    “We, therefore, urged the respected chairman to honourably step down.”

  • Bailout: Fayose not to blame for pensioners’ exclusion – NUT

    Bailout: Fayose not to blame for pensioners’ exclusion – NUT

    The Ekiti State Wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has absolved Governor Ayo Fayose of blame in the exclusion of pensioners from the N9.6 billion bailout largesse released by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

    The state government has explained that pensioners’ outstanding entitlements would not be paid from the bailout fund with the statement causing tension among the retirees.

    The state’s NUT Chairman, Kayode Akosile, at a briefing in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday expressed optimism that the matter would soon be resolved.

    He said: “The state government cannot be blamed. Governor Fayose is not that kind of a governor that will punish pensioners unjustly. You could remember that the governor applied for N29.6 billion bailout from CBN, but only N9.6 billion was released to the state.

    “If pensioners are not captured in the payment, I know the governor will soon find solution to it. The governor by that action and deed has shown that he loves teachers, both active and retired ones.

    “As much as I am not comfortable with the fact that our retired members may not benefit now, I am very optimistic that that the issue will be addressed very soon.”

    Speaking on this year’s World Teachers’ Day scheduled for October 5, Akosile hailed government’s decision to appoint three Tutors-General and one Headmaster-General at the event.

    He explained that the gesture would boost the morale of teachers and add value to the profession.

    Akosile said the recent education summit held in state has raised the commitment of stakeholders in the sector, most especially parents.