Ogun Workers Cripple Govt Over N82bn Unremitted Contributory Pension

Workers employed by the Ogun state Government say there’s no going back on their ongoing strike action, to force the state government to remit N82 billion to the Pension Fund.

The strike which began on Tuesday, sources say will paralise government activities as work resumes on Wednesday after the one -ay national holiday declared by the federal government in mourning of late President Muhammadu Buhari.

For 14 years, the state government has refused to remit the amount, being the contributory pension deductions from the state workers to the Fund.

The workers said the action is in breach of the Pension Law, and a serious threat to their future after they have retired.
While addressing journalists on Tuesday in Abeokuta the state’s capital, the state chairmen of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Hameed Ademola-Benco and Trade Union Congress, TUC, Comrade Akeem Lasisi said the state governor, Dapo Abiodun must personally address the issue with workers, who have vowed not to meet with any government officials delegated by the governor.

No amount of threats can force the workers back to work, the union leaders said, adding that the pension matter have been giving the workers sleepless nights.

Apart from the pension arrears, the union leaders said they are unhappy with the state government over failure to pay their leave allowance, spanning over eight years, despite government’s repeated promises to do so.
The NLC chairmansaid, “Yes we have been receiving calls from one government official, but I told my colleagues that we are not going to meet that person, he is our major problem.

“We want to meet only the governor, His Excellency, Dapo Abiodun. He is our employer.

“We are not employees of the Secretary to the State Government, we are not employees of the Head of Service or the Chief of Staff or any commissioner.

“We are employees of Governor Abiodun. He is the one paying our salaries every month, and he is the one we want to sit with on this matter, not any other person.”

On his part, Akeem Lasisi, the TUC chairman said it’s sad that successive administrations in the state have simply refused to meet workers demand on the issue, which he said has become a nightmare for the the workers.
“The administration of Governor Gbenga Daniel which started the scheme refused to pay some months, while only nine months was paid under Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s eight-year administration, with Governor Abiodun in the last six years also not paying a dime,” Akeem Lasisi said

Adding that, “We have had several meetings, sent several messages to the government but got no reply yet the future of the entire workforce looks so bleak.

“The way the contributory pension is being handled is a big source of a nightmare to the workers in the state.

“The government set up different committees on the implementation of the CPS but it has refused to work on the recommendation.”