Osun pensioners deny accusing Gov Adeleke of re- introducing half salaries

By Sunday Oguntuyi Osogbo

Osun State chapter of Nigerian Union of Pensioners, NUP, has denied accusing Governor Ademola Adeleke of re-introducing half salaries and sacking workers, noting that they were quoted out of context.

The union stated this in a release issued and signed by the state chairman and secretary, Prince Ganiyu Salawu and Comrade Dele Aina, respectively.

In the release, the union averred that what paramount in the heart of the pensioners in the state is how their welfare would be improved, which according to them, have been taking care of by the state governor within the shortest period of assumption of office.

It would be recall that the union last week addressed the press on what their needs were and what they wanted the government Adeleke to do in taking care of those needs.

Part of the needs of the pensioners according to the press conference addressed is the implementation of the National Industrial court, Akure judgement of October 5th , 2017 on N18, 000 minimum wage, settling machinery in motion to implement consequential adjustment on the 2019 N30,000.00 minimum wage for the pensioners and prompt payment of 33.4 percent salary adjustment.

But in its reaction, the government, through the spokesperson to the governor, Mallam Olawale Rasheed accused the pensioners union of alleging governor Adeleke of re-introducing half salary and even planned to sack workers in the state.

Their release reads in part: “The attention of the Osun state chapter of Nigerian Union of Pensioners has been drawn to a press statement issued by the spokesperson to governor Ademola Adeleke, Mallam Olawale Rasheed alleging the union of blaming the governor for re-introduction of half salary and planned to sack workers in the state during the press conference organized by the union recently.

“The union want to state categorically that the spokesperson to the governor quoted the union out of context.

“To be precise, the press conference was not organised by a ‘pressure group’ within NUP as stated in the spokesperson’s press release, but the entire pensioners’ union in the state”

“It’s worthwhile to note that the spokesperson misconstrued the context of the press conference, rather dwell on his personal imaginations.

“To put the record straight, all that is paramount in the heart of all the pensioners in the state is their welfare which we, in the press conference organized eulogised the governor for the step took so far in priotising the well-being of the pensioners and the entire workforce in the state.

“In the press conference, we stated the effort made by the union so far to appreciate the good gesture of the governor by paying solidarity visit to the governor, to rejoice and felicitate with him on his victory at the supreme court and also his birthday which hasn’t come to reality.

“It’s pertinent to note that pensioners in the state were governor Adeleke’s friend and will be praying for his success as the governor.

“We urged the spokesperson to go and read the press statement of the conference organized by the union very well and stop inciting the pensioners’ against the people’s governor.”