By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta
Pensioners in Ogun State have appealed to Governor Dapo Abiodun to release outstanding gratuities owed retirees from January 2021 to June 2025 and approve consequential pension increases for long-serving retirees.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Ogun State Council, Comrade Waheed Oloyede, made the appeal at the 2026 Pensioners’ Day celebration held in Abeokuta, the state capital.
Oloyede, while commending the Abiodun administration for what he described as its unprecedented compassion towards pensioners, urged the governor to take further steps to address the financial challenges confronting retirees in the state.
He said pensioners appreciated the achievements of the administration but appealed for additional interventions to give hope to members still awaiting their retirement benefits.
He said, “As Oliver Twist, we want to ask for more. We humbly request that you benevolently approve that the remaining gratuity from January 2021 to June 2025 be released to would-be beneficiaries, to give our long-expectant members a ray of hope.”
The NUP chairman also called for the implementation of consequential adjustments in pensions arising from the 2019 Federal Government circular and subsequent increases in the national minimum wage.
According to him, many retirees who left service 10, 25 and even 30 years ago still receive as little as N30,000 monthly pension despite the sharp rise in the cost of living.
Oloyede said the situation had made life increasingly difficult for elderly citizens, particularly as the prices of drugs, food and other essential commodities continued to rise.
“The cost of drugs, food and other necessities has skyrocketed beyond the reach of the ordinary citizen, resulting in serious health challenges and, eventually, untimely deaths,” he said.
He urged the state government to approve the pension adjustments, saying the move would provide relief to retirees, promote parity and improve the welfare of senior citizens in the state.
Oloyede added that implementing the adjustment would also leave a lasting legacy for the governor, saying it would “imprint the governor’s name in gold in the history of the state.”
Pensioners commend Abiodun
The pensioners’ leader, however, commended Abiodun for what he described as significant improvements in the welfare of retirees, particularly the prompt and regular payment of monthly pensions.
According to him, unlike in many states where pensioners still face delays, Ogun retirees now receive their monthly pensions as and when due.
“You have restored our dignity and given us peace of mind. You have wiped away tears from the faces of our aged members,” Oloyede said.
He also commended the administration for clearing the backlog of gratuities owed by previous administrations up to December 2020 for state retirees and December 2021 for local government retirees, describing the payments as running into multiple billions of naira.
“For many years, many of our members died without receiving their gratuity. Your administration has changed that ugly narrative,” he added.
Oloyede further appreciated the state government for introducing a free health insurance scheme for state and local government pensioners.
He, however, raised concerns over complaints about the implementation of the scheme at some health facilities, urging the agency supervising the programme to investigate the complaints and address identified challenges.
NLC seeks resolution of grievances
In his goodwill message, the Ogun State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Hameed Ademola-Benco, commended the governor for his interventions in the welfare of pensioners.
He urged the state government to consider all outstanding grievances raised by retirees, stressing that pensioners should not be made to struggle before accessing benefits due to them.
“We appreciate the governor for all he has done. We appeal to him to kindly look into every grievance that has been tabled because retirees should not have to struggle for their benefits,” Ademola-Benco said.
Abiodun responds
Responding, Governor Abiodun, who was represented by the Head of Service, Mr Olaranwaju Saka, said the demands made by the pensioners were legitimate.
He assured the retirees that the administration was already looking into their requests and would continue to honour its obligations to pensioners.
According to him, the government would deploy available resources towards addressing outstanding retirement benefits and ensuring the welfare of retirees.
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