Adeleke Approves N10,000 Minimum Wage, not N25,000, for Pensioners – Osun Retirees Clarify …Insist Governor Promised to Offset Salary, Pension Arrears in Six Months

By Adekunle Alao

Osun pensioners under the Forum of Contributory Pensioners (FOCOPEN) have expressed their dissatisfaction over the plan of the state government to pay a minimum wage of N10,000 to their members, rather than N25,000 it approved for their counterparts under the National Union Pensioners ( NUP). This is just as the Forum clarified that the governor, during last election campaign, promised to offset all their arrears within six months of his administration.

In a communique signed by coordinators of the six local government councils under the Ikirun Zone, the Forum said they rejected outrightly the approved minimum wage of N10,000 for their members, insisting any amount less than N25,000 approved as minimum wage for their colleagues under the Defined Pension Scheme would not be acceptable to their members.

They also appealed to the state government to pay all their bond certificates before next February when the local government election would hold.

Governor Ademola Adeleke has in the last two years denied ever committed, during electioneering, to clear all backlogs of salary and pensions. However the clarification made by the pension has put pay to the claim of the state governor.

Recall also that on November 29, the state government through the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi had announced the governor’s approval of N25,000 pension package to all pensioners in the state.

The pensioners have found the action of the government as playing to the gallery, untruthful and unbecoming.

Read the full statement of the pensioners below:

AN AGREEMENT REACHED AT THE END OF AN EMERGENCY MEETING OF FORUM OF CONTRIBUTORY PENSIONERS (FOCOPEN) OF OSUN STATE, IKIRUN ZONE HELD TODAY 12TH DECEMBER, 2024.
At the end of an emergency meeting of the members of the Forum of Contributory Pensioners of Osun State, Ikirun Zone comprises CPS Retirees from the Six Local Government Council ( Ifelodun, Boripe, Odo-Otin, Boluwaduro,Ila and Ifedayo Local Govts)where a reasonable numbers of our forum members from each Local Government were fully in attendance to take our stand on the approved minimum wage for CPS Retirees in Osun State by the Government of Osun State under Governor Jackson Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke. The following terms were agreed upon:
(1) That the forum is appreciative of His Excellence Gov Ademola Adeleke for being honest to the signed MOU on the payment of outstanding half salary arrears.
(2) That the forum is not happy with the way the promise made by the Governor during his electioneering campaign that all our bond certificates would be paid within six months of his administration is jettisoned.
(3) That the forum is outrightly reject the approved minimum wage of #10,000 for CPS Retirees.
(4) That the forum will not accept any amount less than #25,000 approved as minimum wage for our NUP counterpart.
(5) That our bond certificates for CPS Retirees be paid up to date before Local Government Election.
(6) That the forum is genuinely committed to our general course of making living conditions bearable for our teeming members.
Thanks.
Yours faithfully,
(1)Com Wole Ajiboye
(Ifelodun LG Coordinator)
(2) Com Odesola R.A
( Boripe LG Coordinator)
(3) Mr Ayanwale F.K
(Odo-Otin LG Coordinator)
(4) Com Remi Ayanlade.
(Boluwaduro LG Coordinator)
(5) Elder Ogundeji
(Boluwaduro LG Coordinator)
(6) Alhaji Lawal
(Ila/Ifedayo Local Govt Coordinator).