Senior citizens besiege court premises over unpaid pensions

They looked worn out and dejected. Armed with walking sticks, about 200 retired former local government staffs and teachers under the aegis of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners dragged their weak feet in protest at the Magistrate Court Ikeja.

Made up of aged men and women, some wearing thick spectacles, they matched towards the gate leading to the Magistrate Court protesting over their alleged unpaid arrears and prevented workers from entering their offices.

The protesters finally blocked the entrance of the Local Government Service Commission, chanting solidarity songs.

The pensioners called on the director of the Commission, Babatunde Rotinwa to pay them their pension arrears and alleging that the Lagos State Government had disbursed their gratuity to the Commission.

One of the pensioners who identified himself as Mr. A.A Afolabi claimed that the Commission had been delaying their payments, for unknown reason.

“We are here today to demand for what rightfully belongs to us. We have done various verification exercises and yet all we hear is one story or the other.

“We are asking the Commission to pay us the 142% balance of 36 months. Mr. Rotinwa specifically told us last week Friday that the Lagos State Government has released the money to the Commission. We will not leave here today until we get an answer. We will even take our protest to the Secretariat in Alausa if our voices are not heard,” he said.

Another pensioner who would not want her name mentioned said that some of their colleagues have died while waiting to get their entitlements. She said that despite being sick and on medication, she came to protest. “These people should remember that they would also retire someday and have to beg to be paid their entitlements,” she quipped.

However, a staff of the Commission who declined to give his name because he was not authorized to speak on behalf of the Commission tried to pacify the pensioners.

“We have heard your complaints and I can assure you that we are doing everything possible to rectify it.

“Though the money has been approved but you need to realize that the process takes time. It is not about the money being approved by the government, you must realize that there are still many issues that need to be resolved,” he explained.