Angry Osun State pensioners under the aegis of Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP) have protested the government’s refusal to pay their salaries for the past seven months.
The group who made their way to the House of Assembly as they protested, were denied entrance into the premises by large number of security operative to prevent outbreak of violence and the breakdown of law and order.
In a statement released to the press, the state’s chairman of the body, Dr. J.A Olunlade, lamented the death of many of his colleagues, who he said died because of lack of money to buy food and drugs.
“Till the time of this demonstration, pensioners in Osun State are yet to be paid seven month pensions, from November 2014 to May 2015. Empty promises and insensitivity of the government to the plight of pensioners have led to the untimely death of many and inability of many to meet their financial obligations.”
An unfortunate man who had an ‘agbada’ on, with portraits of the governor luckily escaped being attacked as some of the irate pensioners started shouting “thief, thief catch him, he is one of them” but the man ran away.
The Deputy Chief Whip, Mr. Taiwo Adeyemi, who addressed the pensioners said the Assembly understood their plight.
He said the state government was working hard to ensure that the backlog of salaries were paid.
Adeyemi appealed to them to exercise more patience while promising that the lawmakers would still hold a meeting with the governor on the issue.
