The Ogun State governorship candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Biyi Otegbeye has
assured pensioners that, if elected, they would not go through pain again to get their entitlement.
Otegbeye pledged to clear all gratuities and pensions, if elected as the Governor of the State.
He made the disclosure during his visit to the leadership of the State chapter of Nigeria Union of Pensioners ( NUP) in Abeokuta, the State capital.
He said his administration would index pensioners benefits in line with inflation and market standard of living in order to improve the standard of living of retirees.
His words: “I promise you, on behalf of the Africa Democratic Congress ( ADC ), that our own administration will be very different. We are going to improve the lives of retirees. If rest indeed is sweet after labour, we must ensure that the rest is true rest not nightmare. Retirees should not have to go through pain to get their entitlement, after they have served meritoriously the state, and the nation”.
Otegbeye said “Three things we need to do and we will do are, we are going to clear all arrears of pension and gratuities immediately. Number two, we are going to index your pension benefits in line with inflation and market standard of living, so that whatever pension you are given today, will gradually be graduated in line with the inflation”.
While proffering solutions to continued owing of gratuities of the current administration, the ADC governorship candidate, said “The state doesn’t have to fund it, there are strategic alliances the state can have with the private sector to provide this . This is my own profession, I founded Legacy Alliances Insurance plc and I trade in retire benefit and pension. So I understand this very well.
The problem that this people have, that are there is they don’t have a clue and they don’t have ideas on how it should be done.”
He assured that their pensions will be paid as at when due.
According to him, “The fourth thing to do is to ensure that this pensions are paid with ease and promptly too, that is what ADC will do for you”.
The NUP Secretary, Comrade Bola Lawal while reacting, disclosed that the current administration in the State, is owing the pensioners N64 billion in terms of gratuities and pensions.
He therefore urged Otegbeye to honour his promises, if emerged the winner in the forthcoming governorship election in the State.
