Pensioners in Ikole-Ekiti, Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti, on Wednesday, appealed to Gov. Kayode Fayemi to pay their outstanding gratuities before the end of his tenure.
Some of the pensioners, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ikole-Ekiti, lamented that many of their colleagues, who retired between 2013 and 2017, had died without collecting their benefits.
One of the pensioners, Mr Isaac Ogunlusi, a retired teacher, appealed to the governor to consider their plights and suffering, reminding him that they needed money to take care of their health and several other things.
Ogunlusi noted that he had children, all of who were graduates, but without having any job to take care of themselves and him.
He said that he retired in 2015, adding that till date, he had yet to receive his gratuity.
Another pensioner, Mrs Felicia Ojo, a retired civil servant, said it was unfortunate that her husband, who retired in August 2013, died without collecting his entitlement, while she herself had yet to receive hers since September 2015 when she retired.
She appealed to Fayemi to offset the outstanding gratuities and pensions before the end of his tenure.
“It saddens my heart that my husband, who retired in August 2013, died last year without collecting his entitlement from the state government.
“If his gratuity had been paid earlier, he would have had access to adequate healthcare, but he was sick and could not afford good healthcare because we didn’t have the financial strength before he died.
“I, therefore, want to appeal to our governor to have mercy on those of us who are still alive by paying our gratuities,” she said.
Mr Biodun Oyedeji, a retired local government worker, urged the state government to consider their 35 years of meritorious service to the development of the state and pay their gratuities.
Oyedeji said that he retired in October 2016, adding that he had some friends who retired in 2013, 2014 and 2015 respectively who had died of various sicknesses, without having the privilege of enjoying their gratuities.
He appealed to the governor to rescue the pensioners who were aged and needed money to take care of their health.
“It is no more news that aged pensioners are beginning to die without having the privilege of collecting their gratuities.
“I want to passionately beg our governor to pay our gratuities and I pray that God will help him to fulfill his promises to us,” he said.
Another pensioner, Mrs Tolani Bamisaye, who retired as a teacher in 2014, said that she had not been paid her gratuity.
Bamisaye appealed to the state government to consider the suffering of pensioners and pay both the backlog of gratuities and arrears of pensions to them. (NAN)
