Nov 17…calls for understanding
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has concluded plans to meet with retirees of the state civil service on November 17, 2023, over the non-payment of inherited arrears, as well various demands made with a view to find an amicable resolution.
This came as the state government assured pensioners it was doing everything possible to meet their requests in good time.
The Commissioner for Establishments and Training, Mr. Afolabi Ayantayo, gave the assurance on Tuesday while addressing pensioners at the Adeyemi-Bero Auditorium in Alausa, Ikeja, who gathered under the aegis of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners, Lagos State Chapter, to demonstrate against the non-implementation of their demands.
While stating that Governor Sanwo-Olu, who is presently not in the country, was passionate about the welfare of pensioners, Ayantayo, assured that their demands would be forwarded for Executive consideration and approval as soon as possible.
He stated that Pensioners would start feeling the impact and seeing the result of positive steps being taken by the state government in the coming weeks, hence, pleaded for their understanding in the resolution of the matter.
Ayantayo said that a meeting of stakeholders, which included himself, the Head of Service, Permanent Secretary of the Public Service Office, representatives from the Ministry of Establishments and Training, Director-General and other representatives from the Lagos State Pensions Commission as well as Chairman and members of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, was earlier held, where they deliberated over the matter.
According to him, “We agreed to meet on November 17, 2023 when Mr. Governor would have returned to get a briefing and proffer solution to the request made by the Pensioners.”
He expressed sincere commitment towards ensuring the welfare of the Senior Citizens of the State declaring that the state government would not push Pensioners’ matters aside.
Some of the Pensioners’ demand include: strict compliance with the constitutional provisions that state that Pension be increased every five years or whenever salaries of workers are increased whichever comes earlier; consequential adjustment on Pension in accordance with consequential adjustment done in 2019; living minimum wage of N50,00:00 for Pensioners in Lagos State.
Also included are payment of backlog of gratuities and Pension arrears; Recognition of members of Nigerian Union Pensioners: provision of a utility bus; and payment of N25,000 palliatives to Pensioners, running to billions of naira, among others.
Recall that at least 10,000 retirees of the state civil service were yet to receive their pension rights in the state, estimated at about N10 billion.
Meanwhile, the state government had disbursed a total sum of N52 billion to pensioners in the state civil service from 2019 till date.
Mr. Babalola Obilana, Director-General, Lagos Pension Commission, LASPEC, had during the 95th Retirement Benefit Bond Certificates Presentation for retirees in Lagos, said the commission also had about N10 billion to pay as outstanding accumulated debts for pensioners in the state.
Obilana had assured that the outstanding pension would be settled before the end of the first tenure of Governor Sanwo-Olu in May 2023.
However, efforts to ascertain if the outstanding had been paid to pensioners was unsuccessful at press time, as relevant authorities promised to get back to our correspondent.
According to a credible source, there are currently estimated 13,928 pensioners in the state.
According to the source, “This number covers those in the mainstream: local government, Local Government, State Universal Basic Education Board, Teaching Service Commission and other state parastatals.
“Government plans to clear the backlog of pension from 2022 till date so as to achieve the goal of ‘pay as you go’.
“Under the Defined Benefit Pension, there is a backlog from the middle of 2022 till date. And given the consistency of the payment, it is projected that by December, the backlog will be cleared.”
The source, while clarifying the difference between Defined Benefit and Contributory Pension Scheme, said, “The Contributory Pension Scheme started in 2007. Government is not owing on this scheme because it always remit its own share of contribution monthly as and when due.
“Pensioners under the Defined Benefit are those who have retired before 2007 and those caught in the change over who are still in service. That is where the issue is.
“Past governments did not pay those pensions as and when due, the backlog created is what is being paid. And payment has been made, covering April last year. What remains is from May till date.
“If Sanwo-Olu’s administration is able to clear this backlog to date, those retiring will get their pension immediately as they retire. That is the goal.”
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