HUNDREDS of retirees of the Osun State public service on Wednesday blocked the main entrance to the state’s secretariat in Osogbo, the state capital in protest for the non-payment of their pensions which have accumulated for over 30 months.
The action of the pensioners, who have been unpaid since the administration of former governor (and current Minister of Interior) Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, caused a gridlock on the main thoroughfare to the secretariat as vehicles could not move in and out of the secretariat.
Chanting anti-government songs, the protesting pensioners were armed with placards displaying different inscriptions at the entrance of the Secretariat. Among catchy inscriptions on the placards include: “We are Dying of Hunger”, “Masses, Help Us We Are Dying” and “Dead People Cannot Enjoy Infrastructure.”
The state’s pensioners have for years cried out over the non-payment of their entitlements under the Contributory Pension Scheme under the leadership of former Governor Aregbesola even after getting bailout funds from the federal government.
Although aggrieved pensioners acknowledged that incumbent Governor Gboyega Oyetola has started the process of defraying the arrears of owed pensions, they however lamented that the effort seems very slow leading to the death of several retirees who had been weighed down by lack of fund for feeding and medical care.
Efforts to speak to with the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Oyetola, Mr Ismail Omipidan, failed as he did not respond to texts sent to his mobile as at press time.
