Retired civil servants ask govt to address welfare

The Association of Retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries in the South West has called on the governors in the South West to address the challenges facing the people of the region, particularly the pensioners.

The association specifically urged the governors to address challenges such as unemployment, poverty, food insecurity and infrastructural deficit, among others, in their respective states.

The state President of the Ondo State chapter of the association, Mrs Grace Ajayi, stated this during her address at the Annual General Meeting of the association, held in Akure, the state capital, on Thursday.

She said, “There is a waning faith in governance in Nigeria occasioned by escalating poverty and challenges in the country. We appeal to all South-West governors to rejig the civil service, traditionally considered the engine room of governance, by eliminating dysfunctionality and restoring efficiency to meet the people’s needs.

Amid diminishing opportunities for retirees, the welfare of pensioners must be urgently addressed. Many retirees struggle with economic hardships, and we demand prompt payment of entitlements, harmonisation of pension benefits, and indeed a systemic reform of the pension regime.

Regional collaboration is sine qua non for development and transformation. The success of the South West Security Network (Amotekun) proves what our region can achieve through unity. Let us replicate this model in: transportation, education, healthcare, infrastructure, rural development, food security and unemployment.”

In his remarks, the state governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who declared the meeting open, described the association as noble and credible, noting that it had made huge, significant contributions to the upliftment and development in the South-West

Aiyedatiwa, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr Segun Omojuwa, also pointed out that the success recorded in the state could be attributed to the inputs of technocrats in the state.

“Your members have undoubtedly played key roles in shaping government policies and programmes. You have regularly agreed with various state governors, offering your wealth of experience and institutional capacity to positively influence policy formulation and engage in transformative development across the South-West.

“I wish to congratulate the leadership and ground members of this noble association for remaining ready for the height of your disengagement from active public service. Even though you have retired, you are not tired,” the governor stated.