The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), has urged Federal Government to address incessant delays in the payment of pensioners’ retirement benefits.
The SSANU Chairman, Mr Rotimi Fasunwon, made the plea on Friday at a send-off ceremony organised for the retired members of staff of the university between 2016 and 2020.
Fasunwon said that SSANU members in the university were ready to join the nationwide strike scheduled to begin midnight Feb. 6, noting that welfare of the pensioners was one of their agitations.
He said that there should be no reason to delay implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which Federal Government had signed with the association.
“You should understand that one of the reasons why SSANU is embarking on strike, midnight today, has to do with welfare of the pensioners.
“I want to tell you, yes, we are embarking on strike today and it’s going to be total, and comprehensive.
“There will be no concessions and there will be no reasons to back down until the Federal Government does the needful. It has no reason to have delayed up till this moment.
“The Federal Government, through its representatives, always call meetings, sign Memorandum of Understanding, and even, give timelines, but decided not to implement this thing,” he added.
Fasunwon said that welfare and wellbeing of members remained paramount to the association, hence, the need to celebrate the senior citizens of the association.
“We recognise that all people we are celebrating today have actually worked diligently for this system. Many of them have been in the system as far back as the 80s.
“They came into the system when there were no buildings in this compound; so, they have contributed diligently to the growth of FUNAAB, and we will continue to celebrate our elders.
“Surely, the welfare and wellbeing of our members are paramount for us; that’s the main reason for the existence of the union.
“We need to take care of their welfare while in service, and when they’re leaving; we will ensure we monitor that all their entitlements are paid,” he said.
One of the retirees, Mr Kasali Adenekan, commended leadership of the association for deeming it fit to honor them, saying this was the first time that it would be done.
Adenekan appealed to the Federal Government to speed up the process of paying the pensioners their retirement benefits.
According to him, it took me 17 months before I could collect my retirement benefit. (NAN)
