Pensioners in Oyo State have declared not to go back to Egypt, having enjoyed improved welfare in the last seven years under the government of Governor ‘Seyi Makinde.
The Declaration Of Oyo Pensioners
They categorically declared that they do not want to go back to an era of unpaid pensions and gratuities, and payment of pensions in percentages.
This was as the governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) in the state, Hon Bimbo Adekanmbi, has assured the pensioners of continued prosperity when he is elected governor of the state.
These were made known during an interactive session between the retirees and the Oyo APM governorship candidate, held at the Pension House, Agbarigo, Ibadan
Adekanmbi said the welfare of the retired senior citizens would be sustained and improved upon from the level that the administration of Governor Makinde has emplaced it.
He said: “I have moved round the state on three occasions after my emergence as the candidate of our party.
“I have been able to note what our people want. I have interacted with various segments of the society and I have put down their requests and also my promises which I called ‘My Charter With The People’.
“It is a matter of compulsion for me to ensure the well-being of our pensioners, ‘Seyi Makinde has raised the bar and I have no choice than to continue with what is on ground and attempt to also further raise the bar.
“I will also create time for interactions and engagements from time to time so as to be able to have first hand information on issues affecting pensioners in the state.
“As governor, I give you that assurance that I won’t be far away from you. Whatever I wouldn’t do, I won’t promise you.
“I will sustain the present arrangement that ensures that you receive the alert for your pension by latest 25th of the month.
By paying workers and pensioners as and when due, government is making the economy of the people to be oiled and ensuring non-stop commercial activities in our markets across the state.
“I am standing before you today to make a pledge that under the government of Bimbo Adekanmbi, pensioners will not suffer. All your dues shall be promptly paid”
Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Oyo State, Comrade Olusegun Abatan, said life was brutish for the pensioners for 16 years before Governor Makinde came on board in 2019.
“Your Excellency, for 16 years before Engineer ‘Seyi Makinde came on board, life had been short, brutish and frustrating for pensioners in Oyo State.
“Pensions were not paid as and when due. Constitutional provisions of increasing pensions whenever salaries of workers were increased were flagrantly disobeyed, leading to our members earning pensions as low as ₦350 or in some cases ₦1,000 per month.
“It was Engineer Seyi Makinde that made ₦25,000 the minimum pension in Oyo State, with effect from January 2025
“Because of the improvement in the lives of pensioners in Oyo State since Engineer ‘Seyi Makinde came on board, it is imperative for us to know the direction of your government, if it pleases God for you to succeed in the next year’s election.
“The saying on the lips of Oyo State pensioners, having enjoyed seven and a half years of unbroken peace, prompt payment of pensions and the clearing of unpaid gratuities left by past administrations, is that they don’t want to go back to Egypt.
“By this, they mean they don’t want to go back to the era of unpaid pensions and gratuities, payment of pensions in percentages and the insults of being tagged ‘dead but alive’.
“I make bold to state that we have used our population of about 50,000 and our dependants to install and send packing past administrations.
“Oyo State Pensioners are ready to vote for any gubernatorial candidate who factors our interest into his agenda.”
