Ogun workers reject pension scheme over missing N82bn

The organised labour in Ogun State, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress and Joint Negotiating Council, on Wednesday, demanded that the government should, within 72 hours, suspend the implementation of the Contributory Pension Scheme slated for implementation from July 1, 2025.

The workers listed non-remittance of over N82bn deducted from workers in the last 17 years to Pension Funds Administrators as one of the reasons for rejecting the scheme.

They asked the government to either revert to the old person scheme or postpone the implementation of the CPS to a later date when it would have addressed all their concerns and worries about the scheme.

The organised labour made this demand at a briefing held at the Ogun NLC Secretariat, Abeokuta, the state capital.

In attendance at the briefing were the Chairman of NLC, Ogun State Council, Hameed-Benco Ademola, his TUC and JNC counterparts, Akeem Lasisi and Isa Olude, respectively, among other labour leaders.

The workers said that the 17-year-old pension scheme was signed into law in 2008 by former Governor Gbenga Daniel but it had been designed to fail because the former governor failed to remit 25 months of workers’ deduction before leaving office in May 2011.

They stated further that though Daniel’s successor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, amended the law in 2013 to commence the implementation of the contributory pension scheme in July 2025, he only remitted nine months of workers’ deductions during his eight-year tenure.

The labour leaders affirmed that Governor Dapo Abiodun also within his six years in office equally remitted no dime as workers’ deductions into the pension scheme.

They lamented that despite several letters and messages sent to the government over the issue, the government had remained silent.

Speaking on behalf of the labour leaders, Comrade Hammed-Benco said “Arising from meetings held with all affiliates and organs of the Organised Labour on the CPS and its full implementation in the state commencing on July 1, 2025, we considered it necessary to inform the public of our rejection of full implementation and postponement to a later date when all administrative and financial necessities are in place.”

He stated that the rejection of the scheme was due to the inconsistencies in the implementation of the 2008 Pension Act as amended in 2013.

The NLC chairman regretted the non-existence of the State Bureau of Contributory Pension; mandatory contributory pension board and comprehensive register, or database on contributory pension.

“Workers of Ogun State, therefore, demand for the suspension of the Ogun State Pension Reform Law, (OGPRL) and call for dialogue with the state government within the next 72 hours,” he said.

When asked for the next line of action if the government did not yield to the demand, the TUC Chairman, Lasisi, said the labour leaders would consult with the workers.

What is certain is that Ogun State workers are angry, they are not happy and they are feeling frustrated over this issue and they are tensed up already,” he said.