The labour leaders during the press briefing
The organised labour in Ogun State comprising of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress and Joint Negotiating Council on Wednesday demanded that state government should within 72 hours suspend the implementation of the Contributory Pension Scheme slated for implementation from July 1st, 2025.
The workers said that it is either the government revert to the old pension scheme or postpone the implementation of the contributory pension scheme to a later date when it would have addressed all their concerns and worries about the scheme.
The organised labour made this demand at a briefing held at the Ogun NLC Secretariat, Abeokuta, the state capital.
In attendance at the briefing were the Chairman of NLC, Ogun State council, Hameed Benco Ademola, his TUC and JNC counterparts, Akeem Lasisi and Isa Olude respectfully among other labour leaders.
The workers said that the 17 year old pension scheme was signed into law in 2008 by former Gov Gbenga Daniel but it has been designed to fail because Daniel who started the scheme failed to remit 25 months workers' deduction before leaving office in May 2011.
They stated further that though Daniel's successor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun amended the law in 2013 with a view to commence the implementation of the contributory pension scheme in July 2025 but he only remitted nine months workers' deductions during his eighth years tenure.
The labour leaders affirmed that, Gov Dapo Abiodun also within his six years in office has equally remitted no dime as workers' deductions into the pension scheme.
They lamented that despite several letters and messages sent to the government over this nagging problem, the state government has only replied with deafening silence.
Speaking on behalf of the labour leaders, Comrade Hammed-Benco said that "Arising from meetings held with all affiliates and organs of the Organised Labour on the Contributory Pension Scheme and its full implementation in the State commencing on 1st July, 2025, we considered it necessary to inform the public of our rejection of full implementation and postponement to a later date when all administrative and financial necessities are in place.
"By all means and purposes, it is very clear to us that Ogun State Government is not prepared to deliver on the expectations of the Contributory Pension Scheme"
He stated that the workers rejection of the implementation of this scheme is due to the inconsistencies in the implementation of the 2008 pension act as amended in 2013.
The NLC Chairman said that part of these inconsistencies are "Non-existent of State Bureau of Contributory Pension; Non-existent of mandatory Contributory Pension Board; Non-existent of comprehensive Register, and, or database on Contributory Pension
"Others are Non existent of actuarial valuation of past services of all Public Servants; non-existent mandatory Life Insurance policy for workers and Non remittance of over Eighty-Two billion (N82 billion) naira deducted from workers in the last seventeen (17) years to Pension Funds Administrators, (PFAs)".
"Workers of Ogun State therefore demand for the suspension of the Ogun State Pension Reform Law, (OGPRL) and call for dialogue with the State Government within the next f 72 hours".
Asked for the next line of action if the government did not yield to the workers demand, the TUC Chairman, Lasisi said that the labour leaders will go back to consult with the workers in the state and then know what next steps to take.
The TUC however said that "What is certain is that Ogun State workers are angry, they are not happy and they are feeling frustrated over this issue and they are tensed up already".
From left, Comrade Isa Olude, Chairman of Joint Negotiating Council, Ogun State, Comrade Akeem Lasisi, Trade Union Congress Chairman and his Nigeria Labour Congress counterpart, Comrade Hammed-Benco Ademola during the press briefing
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