SEGUN AYINDE, ABEOKUTA
The Joint Public Service Negotiating Council on Monday issued a 7-day ultimatum to Ogun State House of Assembly to reverse the new Pension Reform Law on Contributory Pension Scheme in the state.
The council said that the state government had through the House of Assembly enacted a new Pension Reform Law, 2020, last week, to make provision for the uniform contributory pension scheme for all employees in the state’s public service, irrespective of their grade levels.
The council’s Chairman, Comrade Folorunso Olanrewaju, while speaking at a press conference held at the Nigeria Union of Journalist secretariat, said that the state government’s decision on the new contributory pension scheme contravened the International Labour Organisation Convention 154(1981)..Olanrewaju said that it was immoral and unconstitutional for the State House of Assembly that represents the interest of the entire citizenry to allow the passage of the killer law without recourse to the applicable protocols and decency of democracy.
The JNC chairman, who threatened that the council might embark on industrial disharmony should the state government through the Assembly refuse to reverse the new pension law within seven days, said the council rejected the law with utmost sincerity and had lost confidence in the Governor Dapo Abiodun-led administration
He, however, described the situation as disheartening and a deliberate attempt by the state government to maltreat its senior citizens, who served the state in their youthful days and are now left to wallow in poverty.
Olanrewaju said, “It is very disheartening to witness the deliberate maltreatment of the senior citizens of our dear state, who served the state with black hair and are now left to wallow in self-pity, anguish and penury.”
“The Council, therefore, demanded the immediate reversal of the new pension law within seven days as it is totally rejected, failure which the entire labour movement of Ogun State cannot guarantee industrial harmony in the state.
” It is not right for a party to unilaterally take a decision in the absence of other stakeholders. The state government acted in clear contravention of the International Labour Organisation Convention 154(1981)…With this unilateral action of the state government, the council has lost confidence in the Government- Labour Consultative Forum set up to look into the welfare of the workers.”