Ogun lawmakers set to break pension deadlock, promise urgent reforms

By Adejoke Adeleye

The Ogun State House of Assembly, through its House Committee on Establishments and Public Service Matters, has pledged to review and amend the State Pension Law of 2013 to address the concerns of pensioners in state-owned tertiary institutions.

Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Babatunde Tella, gave this assurance while addressing members of the Joint Action Committee of Pensioners in the sector.

He stated that the Assembly would work with the state government to ensure timely payment of pensions, stressing that retired professors and other academic staff should not endure undue hardship before receiving their entitlements.

“The Assembly will revisit the 2013 pension law to address all grey areas. We must create an enabling environment for workers and ensure that those still serving are encouraged. The ‘Japa Syndrome’ is already affecting the education sector, and addressing pension issues is crucial to retaining talent,” Tella said.

The Minority Leader of the Assembly, Hon. Lukman Adeleye, further assured that all relevant stakeholders, including the Commissioner for Education and representatives from the Ministry of Justice, would be invited to deliberate on the issue.

In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Bureau of State Pensions, Mrs. Arinola Adetayo, explained that pension payments are guided by the State Pensions Act and assured that all concerns raised by the pensioners would be addressed.

Chairman of the forum, Prof. Adeniyi Ogundipe, decried the delay in processing pensions, noting that some retirees had not received any payments since leaving service.

He urged the Bureau of State Pensions to use the salary structure at the time of retirement for calculations and apply equivalent pensionable allowances used in the state civil service for tertiary institution retirees.

Meanwhile, in a separate engagement, the Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, encouraged youths to develop skills and strive for self-sufficiency.

He gave this advice while addressing students of Lyceum College, who were on an excursion to the State Assembly to learn about legislative operations.