Osun pensioners lavish praise on Gov

Pensioners under the aegis of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), in the state of Osun, have reiterated support for the Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration.

Speaking over the weekend, some of the pensioners drawn from various parts of the State, revealed that the government of Osun under Aregbesola has paid them all their pension arrears till December 2016, according to the agreement signed with the government.

Some pensioners who received at least N120,000 each in pension arrears as at December 2016, had in January 2017 in conjunction with a retired judge and members of the opposition party in the state, organised an ‘Internally Displaced Pensioners’ camp for two hours at the newly renovated Freedom Park in Osogbo, the state capital.

Days later, another set of pensioners numbering about 3,000 held a rally in support of Governor Aregbesola for paying the sum of N9bn in pensions from 2015-2016.

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Gov. Aregbesola who was a special guest of honour at the event, said his administration gives priority attention to retired workers and multiply money for payment of pensions by five times.

He said pensions were paid as at when due until November 2014 when the recession set in.

He noted that his government borrowed as much as N25B from banks to pay workers’ salaries and pension and stopped it when it could no longer cope with the huge wage bill and pension.

The Governor who justified his love for workers and retirees, explained that the State of Osun is the only State in the federation that implemented 142 percent pension increment approved by the Abacha military regime adding that between 2015 and 2016, his administration had paid N9.6B to retired workers alone.

He expressed his commitment to the welfare of workers and pensioners and gave assurance that he would not relent in ensuring that they are accorded deserved attention.