Organized labour in Ogun State has renewed its call on Governor Dapo Abiodun to immediately begin the implementation of its committee report on the Contributory Pension Scheme for workers on the payroll of the State Government
The labour leaders including the State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade Hameed Benco-Ademola, his counter-part from Trade Union Congress (TUC) Chairman, Comrade Akeem Lasisi and that of the State Joint Negotiating Council Chairman, Comrade Isa Olude renewed the call on Monday at labour house in Abeokuta, during a joint public service unions meeting to review the earlier 21-day ultimatum given to the government to implement the recommendations of the report on the Contributory Pension Scheme which include suspension of the scheme until when there is adequate resources for government to implement the scheme for workers or alternatively outright cancellation of the scheme
The State Chairman of Joint Negotiating Council, Comrade Isa Olude in a chat with Edu-Biznews shortly after the meeting, says the labour leaders are still awaiting the implementation of the recommendations on the Contributory Pension Scheme Committee by government
He added that the labour was still waiting for government to look into the committee report and expect that it would be implemented before the end of this month
Olude said that the labour would meet again to decide the next steps to be taken on the pressing issue of Contributory Pension Scheme for workers, if government fails to act on the report as submitted
"We will continue to engage government to ensure the implementation of the report on the Contributory Pension Scheme, we believe it will be done before end of this month (September), if nothing is done by government, we will reconvene meeting of organized labour to decide the next line of action '', he stated
It will recalled that the joint public service unions at the previous meeting under the auspices of organized labour held on the 27th of August, 2024, issued the 21-day ultimatum to government to commence implementation of the report on the Contributory Pension Scheme for workers
The Labour had in the letter written to Governor Dapo Abiodun , expressed concern over what it described as government's lack of commitment and genuine interest in the implementation of the pension law which is further established with the time buying tactics adopted by successive administrations
The labour lamented that previous administration including the current for past fourteen years had failed to pay its 7.5 percent counter part payment rate on monthly basis to the scheme and in addition not remiting the other 7.5 percent deducted from salaries of workers to pension fund managers
The labour also threatened Industrial action , if not was done by government, saying members have been becoming agitated over the unremoved issue
The below is the letter written to Governor Dapo Abiodun on the report on the Contributory Pension Scheme
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 Åžervice,
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.
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