LOGPAN Chairman, Pastor Benedict Ademoye Solicits Prompt payment of Backlog Gratuities of Pensioners

NewsContinental

The Ogun state Local Government Pensioners Association of Nigeria, LOGPAN Chairman, Pastor Benedict Ademoye has solicited for the prompt payment of the backlog of pensioners Gratuities in order for them to enjoy the fruit of their labour while alive.

He made this statement on Thursday, 26th January, 2023, during an interview with the Pressmen at their Annual thanksgiving prayer session to give thanks to the Almighty God for making them see year 2023, at the LOGPAN Secretariat, Ita Oshin, Abeokuta.

Pastor Ademoye explained that, Pensions are monthly payment, made to retired staff, after they have exited the service majorly after 35 years or after 60 years of age, which is constitutional and mandatory according to law and constitution of Nigeria.

“So any government that comes have to pay pension and under the Defined Benefit Scheme, we are entitled to pension, that was what the governor was referring to. Its like when they are servicing the regular workers, aside the payment of our gratuities”

The LOGPAN Chairman stated further that the gratuity which has accumulated to 68 billion and the government has raised just about three billion out of it.

“The delegation of four, led by late chief Sikiru Ayilara, the former Chairman, met the governor on the 16th of August 2022, by the Grace of God, the governor acceded to our request. the governor promised that he will increase us quarterly as revenue increases.

” Late chief Sikiru Ayilara asked for two billion naira every month, that was a request. Understandably requests have to be merged with the revenue and capability of the government to pay.

“But after that meeting, the quarterly release was increased to 600 million naira, 300 million naira for the state pensioner and another 300 million naira for the local government pensioners” LOGPAN chairman said.

“We cannot be satisfied because 68billion to 3billion is not enough. We are placing Our Hope on the governor’s promise, that as the revenue of the state and the revenue resources improve, in fact, he assured us of prompt payment.

“Nothing is impossible for God to do, we are hopeful that things will happen. That God that did it in 2009, when a governor cleared arrears of gratuity in a day, it is surely going to happen in Ogun state. We are praying along that line.

” I’m hopeful that Pensioners would laugh and this gratuity would be paid” LOGPAN chairman stated.

Ademoye said, there are stages for struggle, we have stage of consultation, we have stage of discussions and stage of agitation.

“LOGPAN had gone through that, which was coordinated in our meeting with the governor, on August 16th last year. Unfortunately, we lost our leader, and this new executives came on board, November 10th, 2022, which is about two and half months ago.

Since that two and half months, we are not sitting idle, we have been consulting with top government functionalities and government agencies that are relevant to our course.

“And until this moment, we’ve been getting positive responses. We know this time is a political season, but then we will not lose focus” Ademoye concluded.

The short words of exhortation during the Thanksgiving service was taken by Evangelist M. A. Ogunrinu, titled “The covenant of God for those who are obedient” and the bible text was taken from Psalms 103:1-end.

Evangelist Ogunrinu admonished the LOGPAN members to fear God and obey His commandment always in order for them to enjoy the fulfilment of God’s covenant in their lives.