The Osun State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Adelani Baderinwa, has accused the pensioners under the aegis of the 2011/2012 Forum of Pensioners of constituting themselves into nuisance to the people of the state and blackmailing the state government at the same time.
Baderinwa said the constant protest by the group of pensioners was a public disturbance, describing their conduct as misleading and unbecoming of senior citizens.
The state government explained that the N6.314bn second tranche of the Paris Club loan refund was used to pay the July and August 2015 salary arrears, balance of 2015 leave bonus and the July 2017 salaries and pensions which amounted to a total of N5, 131,680,567.59.
He added that this was done in line with the recommendation of the Hassan Sunmonu-led Revenue Allocation Committee.
Baderinwa also said that the state’s internally generated revenue was not up to N1.5bn, yet the pensioners, who he said had chosen to be a tool in the hands of the opposition, allegedly lied that the IGR and PAYE was N9.5bn.
He said the gratuities of pensioners in the state were over N9bn and the state could not afford that now.
The statement read, “It is crystal clear that the so-called 2011/2012 pensioners group are obvious liars with their incessant political protests, and unbecoming of a retired civil servant who ought to be placed and respected as a senior citizen.
“The 2011/2012 pensioners group are a fraction of those who retired from service in 2012 to avoid being part of the Contributory Pension Scheme.
“It is disturbing and unfortunate that the acclaimed 2011/2012 retires have chosen to be blackmailing the Osun State Government and persistently constituting nuisance on the streets of Osogbo to the detriment of the peace-loving citizens through sponsored protest on the payment of gratuity and not pension.”
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The commissioner said this statement in reaction to last Thursday’s protest organised by the pensioners to press home the demand for the payment of their pension arrears and gratuities.
Baderinwa said the constant protest by the group of pensioners was a public disturbance, describing their conduct as misleading and unbecoming of senior citizens.
The state government explained that the N6.314bn second tranche of the Paris Club loan refund was used to pay the July and August 2015 salary arrears, balance of 2015 leave bonus and the July 2017 salaries and pensions which amounted to a total of N5, 131,680,567.59.
He added that this was done in line with the recommendation of the Hassan Sunmonu-led Revenue Allocation Committee.
Baderinwa also said that the state’s internally generated revenue was not up to N1.5bn, yet the pensioners, who he said had chosen to be a tool in the hands of the opposition, allegedly lied that the IGR and PAYE was N9.5bn.
He said the gratuities of pensioners in the state were over N9bn and the state could not afford that now.
The statement read, “It is crystal clear that the so-called 2011/2012 pensioners group are obvious liars with their incessant political protests, and unbecoming of a retired civil servant who ought to be placed and respected as a senior citizen.
“The 2011/2012 pensioners group are a fraction of those who retired from service in 2012 to avoid being part of the Contributory Pension Scheme.
“It is disturbing and unfortunate that the acclaimed 2011/2012 retires have chosen to be blackmailing the Osun State Government and persistently constituting nuisance on the streets of Osogbo to the detriment of the peace-loving citizens through sponsored protest on the payment of gratuity and not pension.”
