The Nigeria Labour Congress, Ogun State chapter, has decried the state government’s failure to pay the contributory pension deductions of its members for five years and other backlog of arrears.
State chairman of the NLC, Comrade Akeem Ambali, said this in Abeokuta on Wednesday while briefing journalists at its secretariat.
Ambali noted that the workers in the state were becoming restless and fast losing hope of survival when eventually they retire from service.
According to him, there are unremitted pension deductions, cooperative deductions, gratuities and check off dues among others.
He said, “We have backlog of unpaid contributory pension scheme deductions of 60 months; we also have unpaid check off dues of seven months.
“We have unpaid co-operatives and other deductions of about eight months. We also have outstanding payment of gratuity from November 2012 till date that has not been paid to retirees.”
Ambali, who acknowledged the dwindling allocations from the federation account, said the government must treat workers’ welfare as a priority.
The union leader, who commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the recent bailout of states, however, warned state governors not to divert the funds to settle other debts.
He noted that the bailout would only be a bonus to the state government since the Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, had promised to pay all unremitted co-operatives deductions by the end of the month.
Ambali said, “Now that we are having bailout from the Federal Government, workers are afraid that some governors may use that money to settle other areas. We are not saying Ogun State Government would do that but we are being pro-active.
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