OSUN PENSIONERS DEMAND IMMEDIATE PAYMENT OF GRATUITY, PENSION ARREARS

Pensioners in Osun State have demanded immediate payment of their gratuity and pension arrears by the state government.

The pensioners protested on major streets in Osogbo, the state capital yesterday and terminated the procession at the popular Ola-Iya where their leaders briefed journalists on the reason for the protest and their demands from government.

The immediate past Head of Service in the state, Mr Segun Akinwusi while addressing the protesters said the state governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola mismanaged the resources of the state and subjected the workers and pensioners to unwarranted hardship.

Speaking on behalf of the pensioners, the chairman forum of 2011/2012 retirees, Comrade Omoniyi Ilesanmi reiterated that the pensioners were suffering and that over 2000 have died among them.

He said many of them are on sick bed and that several others have been confined to their wheel chairs as a result of the hardship they are going through due to non-payment of their gratuity and pension arrears.

Ilesanmi added that many retirees were living in abject poverty and that their children have been sent away from schools because they could not pay their schools fess.

His words: "Over 2000 pensioners have died. The untimely and avoidable death continued unabated. Many are on their sick bed. Many are married to their wheel chairs till God knows when. Our children are out of school because their retired parents cannot pay schools fees.”

“Many retirees are living in dilapidated buildings like lunatics; our creditors are making life very difficult for us, thinking that we have been paid by the state government.”

“We have no option than to come out on the street again to press for our demands which is the prompt payment of our statutory entitlements from the recently released Paris Club Refund".

"Whenever any money is released to Osun by the Federal Government to make life bearable for the workers, pensioners and by extension, the good citizens of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola will have one reason or the other to divert such fund”, Ilesanmi lamented.