The Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, has expressed concern over the continuous dwindling State’s finances which has not allowed the government to effectively meet its financial obligations in recent times.
Governor Amosun made the expression on Tuesday during a meeting with members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Ogun State chapter in Abeokuta, the state’s capital.
While dissociating themselves from media reports accusing the state government of insensitivity to the plights of the pensioners in the state, the pensioners, however, commended the financial re-engineering being put in place by the state.
They were also quick to ask the Governor for the payment of outstanding gratuities being owned the Union’s members.
The meeting was at the instance of Governor Amosun to give the union members consent to explain the content of their press briefing published in some national dailies accusing the state government of neglecting the pensioners, especially in the payment of the outstanding gratuity.
Giving the financial standing of the state in the face of the ongoing economic recession, Governor Amosun explained that the state can only break, even if it can generate 400 million Naira daily as against the current 19 million Naira asking residents to show understanding and cooperation.
The Governor also expressed his commitment to settle all gratuity as soon as funds are available.
Meanwhile, the pensioners had asked the State Government to put forward an acceptable format for immediate payment of outstanding gratuities within 12 months, effective December 2015.
They also demanded the resuscitation of the state’s Bureau of State and Local Government Pension Management Committee.
Other demands include the resuscitation of the dissolved Joint Account Allocation Committee, immediate payment of 2014 Christmas bonus to local government pensioners at par with state pensioners.
