The Politicisation Of Pension In Osun: State funds-challenged - Nigeria Similarly Deprived
28 August 2017By Abiodun Komolafe
The quote above, by W.B. Yeats, perfectly echoed my own sentiments on reading
a report in the Punch, August 16, 2017 edition in which Governor Rauf
Aregbesola of Osun was alleged by the 'Forum of 2011/2012 Pensioners to have
"paid political office holders who served between November 2010 and November
2014 the sum of N50 million each as severance allowance."
Before all else, that "a motley crowd" have simply allowed worldly cares to
obliterate their sense of the beautiful is what an observer like yours
sincerely finds difficult to comprehend. For instance, findings have shown
that the protesting pensioners acted against wise counsel by opting to retire
from the state service at the end of 2012 because they did not want to join
the new contributory pension regime, a situation that ended up unleashing an
accumulated debt burden of N5 billion on the state. Essentially, while it is a
statement of fact that a labourer should be worthy of his hire, the tragic
truth is that the socio-economic needs of the society are so huge that no
government can accomplish them in a day. Osun is not an exception!
Of course, Osun is currently funds-challenged. But Nigeria is similarly
deprived! Thanks to the immediate past drivers of Nigeria's economy who
practically turned Nigeria into a pauperised, debtor enclave where borrowing
money to pay money, all in the name of debt rescheduling conversion, or
servicing, was fashionable. People's Democratic Party (PDP) summarily reduced
Nigerians to a wounded people in an impossible bus and it was as if the gods
were angry. The outcome of the putridity of its inanity, the extremity of its
frivolity, its consolation in vainglorious fatality and the competition for
space of its blind ambition for power without purpose is now staring us in the
face and only a God can help us!
But is Aregbesola anti-workers, be they active or passive? In my considered
opinion, a governor that has accorded governance a new name and given us hope
of a better Osun and a greater Nigeria cannot be said to be anti-workers. His
inspirational, passionate and record-breaking contributions to the
transformation of Osun into "a developed, cleaner, safer and more beautiful
state" is so huge that, in another 30 years, Osun will no doubt be a reference
point in infrastructure development to other states of the federation. Little
wonder the governor is one of the most outstanding and credible personalities
the Nigerian nation has ever known. The interesting part of his initiatives
and interventions is that they are practically free from political
interference, unlike what obtains in some other states.
The falseness and baselessness of Forum of 2011/2012 Pensioners' allegation
could also be traced to the fact that Osun ranks next to Lagos in terms of
payment of workers' salary and pension allowances. For instance, how many
people remember that, until the arrival of the second tranche of the Paris
Club refund, Ayo Fayose could only manage to pay workers' salary up until
January 2017? As we speak, Ekiti State civil servants are being owed six
months; primary school teachers: nine months; secondary school teachers: seven
months; Local Government workers: seven months; and, pensioners: nine months.
Yet, the governor continues to mortgage the state's future on 'ponmo' cow
hide) and okada (motorcycle) as if that's one sure fiendish way of keeping an
unsuspecting people perpetually under his feet.
In Benue State, two months' salaries are used to pay for one month. Impliedly,
workers are paid half salaries across board in that state. Kwara, Kogi and
Enugu States are not faring any better. As at May 2017, Edo State government
was sitting, comfortably, on arrears of pension ranging from 10 to 42 months
owed its senior citizens. Not only that, state pensioners were also being owed
"gratuities from 2012 till date and the local government pensioners from 2008
till date."
Coincidentally, the man who just left the state as governor was a veteran
labour leader. So, when will Aregbesola's traducers be sincere enough to admit
that the salary challenge is national in outlook? On the other hand, isn't it
curious that a certain section of the fourth branch of government has turned
itself into an "insidious political opposition …, hiding under the plight of
pensioners to make outrageous claims with a view to inciting the people
against the government"?
From investigations, how much did Osun receive as 2nd tranche of the refund?
N6,314,106,340.62! How much was spent on payment of parts of salary arrears,
leave bonuses and pensions to civil servants and pensioners in the state, of
course, including those in the local government service? N5,131,680,567.59! On
the issue of severance package, did Aregbesola breach any law guiding the
payment of such to public or political office holders in the state? Not to my
knowledge!
All said, here comes the issue of media and its roles as the political
conscience of the electorate, For God's sake, how can a media outfit that has
compromised ethical standards hold those who are in government accountable,
make informed decisions or stay away from undoctored views? When "a newspaper
recklessly subjects its platform to be used for propagating falsehood and
deception," then Nigeria is in for a long haul. It is the same reason this
'section of the media' will go to town with reports of Osun being in the 29th
position in the 2017 West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) rating without
investigating the reasons its year-on-year steady progress in that sector; or
verifying when WAEC Board met to review the state of the states in the last
Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
2018 is around the corner! As such, the gladiators are already positioning.
The political lions, the economic bears, and the political mischief makers are
already lurking around. All the same, this is the opportune time for the
electorate to make an informed choice between turning the page and closing the
book. The earlier Nigeria's five thousand people fed with two loaves and five
fishes rise to the occasion, the better their chances are of getting it right!
May principalities and powers, assigned to rubbish our leaders' efforts,
scatter!
• Komolafe wrote in from Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State.
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