Labour Gives Abiodun 21-Day Ultimatum To Implement Contributory Pension Scheme Report For Ogun Workers Or .......

Organized labour in Ogun State has given the State Government a 21-day ultimatum to begin implementation of its report on the Contributory Pension Scheme or be ready to face consequences of industrial action 

 The leadership of the State Council Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, Comrade Hameed Benco-Ademola and that of its counter part in Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Akeem Lasisi and Chairman of the State Joint Negotiating Council JNC,  Comrade Isa Olude issued the ultimatum in a joint letter of reminder written to Governor Dapo Abiodun, dated 27th of August, 2024, obtained by Edu-Biznews on Thursday, after their meeting in Abeokuta, where they called for suspension of the contributory pension scheme until when the government has enough financial resources to implement it fully for the benefit of workers or  outright cancellation of the scheme as recommended in the report before the government 

The labour in the letter expressed concern over what it described as one-sided implementation of the State Pension Reform Law 2008, later altered in 2013, accusing government of deducting 7.5%

from workers salary on monthly basis while  failing to pay its counter part fund of 7.5% into the scheme as provided in the extant law establishing the fund in the last fourteen years of three different administration till date 

"Our experience in Ogun State with the Pension Reform Law, which, specifically, was designed to remove the widespread deprivation and total lack of empathy for public service retirees across the country has been one meal, unsuspecting to us, wrapped in poison. In the last fourteen years, spanning three different administrations, the State Government has been quite dutiful in deducting on monthly basis the 7.5% from workers salary, without failing, as stated by the law under reference whilst the State Government 7.5% counterpart payment remain rather embarrassingly non conformist to the said extant law", the labour decried 

They also accused the government in the letter of  worsening the situation for workers, by not remiting the 7.5% deducted on monthly basis from  the workers' salary to the pension fund managers

"The jeopardy to the implementation of the law was State choice of failure to remit the fund so deducted, even from the workers monthly stipend"

"Lack of commitment and genuine interest in the by-the-book implementation of the pension law is further established with the time buying tactics adopted by successive administrations with the tapestries of Ad hoc Committees in various guises and periods of attending to the dilemma. Findings and recommendations from each of the Ad hoc Committees have invariably been implemented either halfway through or outrightly neglected"

The workers according to the labour leaders, are now seriously becoming agitated over the ugly situation which may possibly lead to industrial disharmony, if the State Government failed to do the needful 

"Disruption of the relative industrial peace in our State would do us no good nor are we pleased with the pathetic implementation of the reformed pension law. In our informed take either that the law be suspended until a later date when the State resources will be adequate enough to implement it in full compliance to the extant law establishing the Scheme or, it be cancelled outrightly", the labour warned in its  concluding part of the letter 

Meanwhile the organized labour has received reports of its Technical Committee on the Consequential Adjustment for the New National Minimum Wage 

The trio of Comrade Benco-Ademola of NLC ,Comrade Lasisi of TUC and Comrade Isa Olude of JNC receiving the reports on Thursday at the labour house in Abeokuta, said that the documents would assist the labour leadership in its negotiation with the State Government on the consequential adjustment implementation for workers on the payroll of the State Government 

They lauded the efforts of the committee led by Comrade Segun Adebiyi for the well detailed work done as contained in the documents presented to the organized labour in the state 

Chairman of Pension Sub-committee, Chief Samson Odebo was full of appreciation to the current leadership of organized labour for the improved welfare of retirees on the payroll of the State Government 

The below is the excerpt of the letter written to Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State 

27th August, 2024

Your Excellency,

Prince 'Dapo Abiodun, CON,

The Governor, Ogun State, :

Office of .the Governor,

Oke Mosan, Abeokuta

Through:

The Head of Service,

Office of the Head of Şervice,

Oke Mosan, Abeokuta,

Your Excellency,

RE:1ST JULY, 2025 AND THE TRUE POSITION OF CONTRIBUTORY PENSION SCHEME IN OGUN STATE 

Your Excellency will recall of our correspondence on the above subject matter dated 5th July, 2024 wherein our concern and the growing agitation of workers over it was raised. 

The letter gave further insights on the apparently dysfunctional pension policy with informed position and the recommendation that, in the interim, its commencement date of 1st July, 2025 (as amended in 2013) be shifted forward. 

For the records and hindsight, Your Excellency, it is essential to chronicle the agonising, one-sided implementation of the State Pension Reform Law 2008, later altered in 2013. 

Our experience in Ogun State with the Pension Reform Law, which, specifically, was designed to remove the widespread deprivation and total lack of empathy for public service retirees across the country has been one meal, unsuspecting to us, wrapped in poison. In the last fourteen years, spanning three different administrations, the State Government has been quite dutiful in deducting on monthly basis the 7.5% from workers salary, without failing, as stated by the law under reference whilst the State Government 7.5% counterpart payment remain rather embarrassingly non conformist to the said extant law.

 The jeopardy to the implementation of the law was State choice of failure to remit the fund so deducted, even from the workers monthly stipend.

Lack of commitment and genuine interest in the by-the-book implementation of the pension law is further established with the time buying tactics adopted by successive administrations with the tapestries of Ad hoc Committees in various guises and periods of attending to the dilemma. Findings and recommendations from each of the Ad hoc Committees have invariably been implemented either halfway through or outrightly neglected.

It is abundantly clear to us that despite the service-wide palpable apprehension as mentioned in our last letter on the dysfunctional Contributory Pension Scheme, the State Government has not, in any way, take any necessary step(s) to relax the tension which its elasticity has reached the tipping point.

At our meeting that held today, Tuesday, 27th Aug 2024, we resolved that a 21-day ultimatum, effective from date of this letter, be made known to the State Government. It is to enable the State Government to attend to the issue so raised.

 Disruption of the relative industrial peace in our State would do us no good nor are we pleased with the pathetic implementation of the reformed pension law. In our informed take either that the law be suspended until a later date when the State resources will be adequate enough to implement it in full compliance to the extant law establishing the Scheme or, it be cancelled outrightly.

You have our best wishes, Your Excellency.