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Pensioners protest, ask Aregbesola to account for Osun finances

Aregbesola1

Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola

A group of pensioners in Osun State under the aegis of ‘Forum of 2011/2012 Retirees,’ on Friday staged a protest asking a former governor, Rauf Aregbesola, to explain how he managed the financial affairs of the state while in office as governor.

Aregbesola governed Osun State between November 27, 2010, and November 27, 2018, after the tenure of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

The protesters, who gathered at the entrance of the State House of Assembly located a few metres away from the head office of the Nigeria Correctional Service, shortly after Aregbesola arrived at the premises for the inauguration of the complex, said their retirement benefits had not been paid since they left the service five years ago.

The protesters displayed placards with inscriptions such as ‘Since 2016, Contributory Pensioners had been neglected,’ ‘Paris Club refund of tranches 1,2,3&4 were misappropriated by Aregbesola administration,’ ‘Osun people are no mumu, Aregbe we only leave you for Allah to judge,’ ‘Osun State Government, pay us our benefits; bonds, 2016 up to date, arrears of half salaries for 30 months.’

The protesters claimed many of their colleagues had died while waiting for their entitlements.

Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, the State Chairman of Contributory Pensioners, Gbenga Oyadare, said they took to the streets to register their displeasure over the inhuman experiences the non-payment of their entitlement had subjected them to.

Oyadare said, “The purpose of our coming out this morning is to make it known to the whole world what the immediate past governor in Osun State brought to the state. We are waiting to collect our entitlement after we left service about five years ago. Since August 2016 to date, we have not been paid and if salary is not paid for five years, you should imagine what would have happened.

“Our members have not been able to keep their families together. We want the whole world to appeal to Aregbe to come and explain to us how he managed Osun funds for eight years. We shouldn’t have taken half salary at all because he was granted N35bn at that time so he could pay salaries and pensions, but unfortunately, he paid half salary for three years.

“Today, the government has defrayed about seven months out of 36 months half the salary owed us; the remaining 29 months has yet to be paid. Whereas if he (Aregbesola) had managed the economy wisely, the situation would not have degenerated into this.”

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