Minimum Wages For Pentioners, Only Ondo State has implemented it out of 36 States — NUP Chairman
By Sanya Adegbenro
The Chairman, National Union Of Pentioners, Ondo State Council, Hon. Johnson Osunyemi has praised Governor Orimisan Lukky Aiyedatiwa for his kindness to have considered the implementation of minimum wage for Ondo State pentioners.
Osunyemi spoke with members of Ondo State Nigeria Union of journalists, Federated Chapel in his office recently at the secretariat of the union in Akure the Ondo State Capital.
His words “Only Ondo State Government out of 36 States in Nigeria has implemented the minimum wage for pentioners”.
The Chairman said, ‘it takes a visionary and truthful leaders to put together all the infrastructures that were putting together by the union, other states have another story to tell when they visit NUP infrastructure in Ondo State.”
He said, the Ondo State Government have been paying the Ondo state pentioners minimum wages when the present government Heard their voice along with the civil servants presently serving with the Ondo State Government.
He however highlighted that Ondo State NUP was the first to benefit from the 33% and consequential pensions adjustment resulting from the ₦30,000 minimum wage for workers in 2022.
He said Aiyedatiwa is a responsive Governor, dating back to his tenure as Deputy Governor, noting that pension arrears of seven months for local government pensioners and six months for state pensioners, left by the previous administration of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, were cleared under the current administration.
“We are grateful to the Governor for reinstating the ₦10,000 monthly palliative to pensioners, which had been halted, and for the recent disbursement of ₦1 billion for Batch A 2012 gratuity for local government pensioners,” Osunyemi stated.
Hon. Osunyemi further emphasized that the Governor’s commitment, contrasting it with the neglect pensioners faced under previous administrations. “All pensioners have two benefits from the government gratuities and monthly pensions.
Governor Aiyedatiwa has provided solutions for clearing the backlog of gratuities through quarterly bulk payments. The seven-month arrears left by the Mimiko have been paid.” he emphasized.
While expressing his minds on gratitude, he therefore mentioned how pensioners from Kogi State had shared their struggles, highlighting the positive contrast in Ondo State under Governor Aiyedatiwa’s leadership.
Hon. Osunyemi appreciated the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) for advocating for pensioners in the state. Reflecting on the union’s achievements, including the construction of an exquisite administrative building, a 16-room chalet, an event hall, and a guest house, he credited the accomplishments to the dedication of its members.
“Our large structure was built through the contribution of our members. This sacrifice is paying off, as we recently distributed ₦4.5 million among affiliate bodies who are key partners in the project,” he confirmed.
Addressing the union’s needs, Osunyemi urged the government to address the ₦26 billion backlog of gratuities for local government pensioners and to increase the gratuity disbursement to ₦2 billion.
“We also request that the government remember pensioners when the minimum wage is increased, as we are often overlooked,” he reaffirmed.
Comrade Akin Sunday, the union’s Administrative Secretary who is also doubled as the secretary of Nigeria labour Congress NLC in Ondo State reiterated that the NUP remains the largest union in the state and the country at large.
He explained that the union’s structure from the national to the local level, emphasized its mandate to ensure the welfare of pensioners, providing assistance for medical checks when necessary.
He mentioned that the union has facilitated health provisions for members through subscriptions to the Orange Health Policy available to the state workers and has financially supported members undergoing medical surgeries.
We make maximum use of our minimum incomes to build Secretariat, NUPS Hotel and Hall
He therefore urged the public to patronize the union’s state-of-the-art facilities at a reasonable cost as the union had been able to provide all the necessary facilities in the hotel.
