Shekinat Abubakar
Retirees in Ekiti State under the auspices of Pensioners Association of Nigeria (PAN) have cautioned the Southwest Council of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners ( NUP) for blackmailing Governor Biodun Oyebanji over payment of pension and gratuities.
Recalled that the Council in its report, alleged that Ekiti State is one of the subnationals that have defaulted in payment of pension and gratuities.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti, PAN Chairman, Comrade Joel Akinola confirmed that the report was false and an attempt to blackmail Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji by the current crop of leaders of NUP.
Akinola explained that since inception of office, Governor Oyebanji has shown rare commitment to the welfare of Pensioners and such could be attested to by every pensioner except the current leadership who he said have been blindfolded by their political interest.
He noted that Governor Oyebanji delayed the outstanding gratuities of Pensioners from forty eight billion Naira to twenty billion, cleared all arrears of seven months unpaid pension, increased minimum pension of retirees to ten thousand, approve free health for Pensioners and supported the ongoing building project.
He wondered where the NUP Southwest leaders got their own information from, urging them to steer clear and not set pensioners against their benefactor.
The statement titled “THIS IS FALSEHOOD” reads:” The attention of the leadership of Ekiti State Pensioners Association of Nigeria (PAN) has been drawn to the wrong accusation against Ekiti State Governor by an illegal body called Southwest Council of NUP that Governor Oyebanji was not paying our monthly pensions.
“This is false, malicious and very uncharitable. It is quite disheartening and baffling because Elder Ayo Kumapayi, Mr Temitope Popoola and Mr Agbaje Oni Azeez were present at the shameful meeting, where our Governor was being disparaged. And they were mute.
“I have always said it that the intention of these people is not to serve the interest of Pensioners but their personal political and selfish gains.
“PAN is stating it unequivocally that the State Governor is not defaulting in the payment of our monthly pensions”.
