Ogun govt inaugurates committees to address workers’ demand

By Kolawole Olayinka, Abeokuta

Ogun State government has inaugurated the Contributory Pensions Scheme Review Committee and another committee on Consequential Pensions Adjustment.

The setting up of the committees was in fulfilment of the Memorandum of Action between it and the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

The committees are saddled with the responsibilities of ensuring improved welfare for its teeming civil and public workforce, as well as pensioners. 

It would be recalled that the state government reached an agreement with the labour union on Friday, July 1, 2022 as contained in the agreed “Memorandum of Action” to review the contributory pension scheme and the consequential adjustment on minimum pension among other things.

Inaugurating the committees at the Governor’s Office, Oke- Mosan, Abeokuta, Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tokunbo Talabi said the welfare of the workforce, serving and retired remained germane in the agenda of the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration, explaining that government has put necessary modalities in place to commence the payment of gross salary from the month of July, 2022.

Talabi said: “Government will start paying the gross salary to workers at the end of July while keeping faith with the promise to offset the backlog while payment of the leave allowances as part of the salary as applicable will be also be activated going forward.”

The SSG said the committee has the mandate to critically examine the operations/implementation of Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), with a view to determining improved amount of monthly pensions payable to retirees in the state and local governments to cushion the effect of the current economic realities. 

In his remark, state Head of Service, Dr. Nafiu Aigoro maintained that the present administration was irrevocably committed to the welfare of both serving officials and retirees.

State Chairman of NLC, Emmanuel Bankole, expressed optimism that the inauguration of the committees would address lingering labour issues, even as he allayed the fears of the public servants on the commitment of the government.

Chairman of Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Mr. Waheed Oloyede admonished the committees to ensure speedy formulation of recommendations in line with the present economic realities towards boosting public confidence in government.