Ogun NLC : We’re on indefinite strike cos govt is owing us N82bn contributory pension

….Gbenga Daniel paid 25 months, Ibikunle Amosun paid 8 months, Dapo Abiodun has not paid a dime

Comrade Hameed Ademola-Benco, Chairman, Ogun State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has disclosed that the Organized Labour in the state decided to commence an indefinite strike on Monday because the government is owing workers a whooping N82bn contributory pension arrears.

Speaking on “Frontline” programme of the Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese Ijebu, Ogun state, on Wednesday, the NLC boss said former governors Gbenga Daniel and Senator Ibikunle Amosu paid 25 and 8 months of the pension respectively, but the incumbent governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has not paid anything of the backlog since six years that he has been in the saddle.

While lamenting that the money is what was deducted from workers’ salary and meant to ease their living after retirement, Ademola-Benco said the organized labour was forced to withdraw their services because the government of Gov. Abiodun did not yield to their entreaties.

He said, “The Organized Labour which comprises the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Council (TUC) and the Joint Negotiation Council (JNC) embarked on the indefinite strike in Ogun state over non-payment of Contributory Pension Scheme for several years. Otunba Gbenga Daniel who introduced it in 2008 only remitted 25 months of the 7.5% deduction from workers salary, leaving out the outstanding. During the time of Senator Ibikunle Amosun, eight (8) months were remitted, leaving the rest outstanding.

“In this present administration of Prince Dapo Abiodun, we have a lot of outstanding already there. We now have 184 months outstanding. And the government has not remitted any of their counterpart funding. In 2013 after a lot of demands, cries and agitation, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun eventually amended the bill to commence  in July,  2025. We have been interfacing with this administration to the fact that this bill cannot fly because there are lots of provisions in the law that have not been met.

“The VAT calculation which should be added to individual worker’s salary has not been done. The Pension Board has not been inaugurated. The Bureau has not been mandated to take charge of the Contributory Pension Scheme. We don’t have the data for the pool of workers. There are lots of workers that have no PIN, yet some workers have 2 PINs. All these must be met before implementing this bill. We are not contesting the implementation, but there must be some facilities in place. Eventually, 1st of July came and there was no pronouncement. We have written letters,; did correspondence. We have done all needful to engage the government, but we have not heard anything. And since that 1st day of July, our workers have been retiring on nothing.

“So, at our Congress, we sat down and decided that no government can put down N100bn unless it gets a loan from somewhere. We then said let us amend the bill by maximally five years. Within the five years, all these things would have been in place. Then all monies and all necessary facilities would have been in place. But nothing is happening and we can’t keep quiet believing that everything is ok. That was why we embarked on the strike on Monday.

“Aside from that, we have issues with the issue of promotion letters. It is appalling. Even if you want to postpone the time of payment, it should not be as longer as it is. Leaving workers to be calculating 1 year five months, collecting cash next year March, September, is not okay. It is unheard of. But the government is not doing anything and so we proceeded on withdrawing our services.

“Outstanding leave bonus of eight years is also there. We have been making efforts to talk to the governor on these, to make them understand what we are saying, but it has got no tangible result.

“The last one is the consequential adjustment on this so-called Minimum Wage. We have met about three times on this, but up till now, nothing has been done. N42,000 was added to every class of workers. To me, we can refer to that as salary award because the basic transport, utility and housing should be reflective in the N42,000. Tue Federal Government put N40,000 on salary of workers across board, but our governor deemed it fit to pay N42,000. That is commendable. Let us review all these things by consequential adjustment and from there, whatever comes out of it, we are ok. To me it is something that is very minor. It is not a big deal. We have embarked on the strike as the last option to draw the government’s attention to us and our demands. We are optimistic that our overall boss, the governor, has passion for the welfare of workers, and he will listen to us.

“The Secretary to the State Government was trying to meet with us on Tuesday but at our congress where we addressed the Press, we decided we should see the governor himself and discuss better. And we are very optimistic he will listen to us.

“The Contributory Pension is workers’ money deducted from their salaries, but I don’t know why the government has refused to remit it to the Pension Scheme Administrator (PSA). It is expected that when the money is deducted, it should be paid into the various retirement savings account via the PSAs. And when the money is not there, definitely, the money was not paid. That is the meaning. The PENCOM is in the better position to query that. With this our strike, I believe they will get it done. I think, with this, something tangible will be done to save the lives of those retiring.

“The bill is okay as it was introduced by President Olusegun Obasanjo. The only problem is compliance with the provisions of the bill. We can’t work for 35 years without going home with something. They should take their money, go home and invest. Prince Dapo Abiodun has not paid anything like his predecessor’s did. No payment in the last six years of the administration.”