Ekiti SDP Candidate, Segun Oni, Laments Over The Death of 220 Pensioners In Fayose’s And Fayemi’s Governments, Promises Change
OpenLife Nigeria reports that the Governorship Candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Chief Segun Oni has sympathized with the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Ekiti State Council over the untimely demise of over 220 of its members within six months, while waiting for payment of N37 billion pension and gratuity arrears being owed members of the union by the state government.
The Chairman of the Council, Comrade Joel Akinola lamented while briefing newsmen in Ado Ekiti recently, that no fewer than 220 Ekiti pensioners had died, while 367 others are currently fighting death and still waiting for the payment of their gratuities.
He lamented that the payment of, the gratuity by the State Government has been inconsistent since 2013 making the arrears to be over N37 billion.
Reacting to the sad development, in a statement by the Director of Media of Chief Segun Oni Campaign Organization, Mr. Jackson Adebayo, Oni said that people who had served their state meritoriously deserved better treatment than they are getting from the government.
The former governor who recalled that gratuities of pensioners were accorded utmost priority during his time as retirees were being paid promptly, urged the senior citizens not to lose hope as their days of suffering would soon be over.
He described the attitude of the current and immediate past government in the state to the welfare of the vulnerable residents as very discouraging.
“I want to use this medium to sympathize with Ekiti pensioners over the untimely death of some of their members due to lack of proper medical care occasioned by nonpayment of their gratuities.
“A situation where people who had spent their useful years serving their fatherland and retired without receiving their gratuities is not acceptable because as the saying goes, laborers deserve their wages.
“I recalled that when we were in government, pensioners were receiving their gratuities as at when due without any undue delay and protocols.
“I want to assure the pensioners that their plights will soon be a thing of the past if I become the governor of the state because their welfare will be a thing of priority to my government,” Oni said.
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