New Telegraph The Joint Action Committee of Pensioners in Ogun State owned tertiary institutions have appealed to the state government to urgently address shortfalls in the pension paid to retirees of these institutions.
Prof. Adeniyi Ogundipe, the Chairman of the forum, stated this during a meeting with the Ogun House of Assembly Committee on Establishment and Service Matters in Abeokuta.
Ogundipe said that pensions of some of its members had not been processed since they retired, hence, they have not been paid any pension.
He called on the bureau of state pension to use the most current salary structure at the time of retirement to pay the benefits of retirees of tertiary institutions in the state.
The chairman sought the assistance of the house of assembly to mandate the bureau of pension to apply the equivalent pensionable allowance obtainable in the civil service and other public service to pay pensioners of the state owned tertiary institutions.
He also appealed to the state government to intervene and assist in addressing the injustice being meted on retired staff of tertiary institutions in the state.
Responding, the Chairman of the House Committee on Establishment and Service Matters, Mr Babatunde Tella, stated that the assembly would look into amending the State Pension Law of 2013.
Tella said that retired professors or any staff of tertiary institutions should not be made to suffer before collecting their entitlements.
The lawmaker solicited the cooperation of the bureau of pension in order to resolve the issue of unpaid or shortfall in pension. ” Our job is to create enabling environment for other arms of government to thrive.
”We must do everything possible to encourage those that are still serving. The issue of Japa Syndrome is affecting our education sector.
”The assembly will revisit the pension law of 2013, there is need to amend the law,” he said. Mr Lukman Adeleye, the House Minority Leader, noted that there was need to invite the State Commissioner for Education, Representatives from the Ministry of Justice to further shed lights on the issues.
Mrs Arinola Adetayo, the Permanent Secretary, Bureau of State Pensions, assured that all issues raised would be addressed.
