Retired public servants in Osun State, under the Forum of 2011/2012 Retired Public Servants of Osun, have called on Governor Ademola Adeleke to comply with a court ruling mandating the implementation of an N18,000 minimum wage for retirees.
The pensioners made their demands known during a protest in Osogbo on Monday.
The protesters had gathered at Ogo-Oluwa/Abere Road but were barred from accessing the governor’s office by security personnel.
Despite this setback, the retirees vowed to continue their agitation.
According to the group, the state’s failure to implement the court order has left them short-changed for years.
Speaking to journalists, the group’s leader, Yemi Lawal, accused the Osun State Government of neglecting a ruling by the Industrial Court delivered on October 5, 2017.
“We have been fighting for this since 2014, but the government has been paying us only N9,000 instead of the court-approved N18,000,” Lawal said.
He further explained that the government had delayed action through legal appeals, which were ultimately dismissed.
“In February 2024, the appellate court ruled in our favour, yet the government remains nonchalant,” he lamented, describing years of petitions, letters, and press conferences that have gone unanswered.
Lawal expressed disappointment in Governor Adeleke whom he described as a beneficiary of judicial intervention.
“The governor owes his mandate to the judiciary. Why then does he refuse to obey a simple court directive? This disregard for the law could lead to unrest,” he warned.
The retirees also criticised the state government’s recent announcement of a N25,000 relief payment to retirees, calling it insufficient.
“What can N25,000 buy in this economy? It’s not even enough for basic needs,” Lawal argued, adding that the gesture did not address the core issue of adjusting pensions to reflect the N18,000 minimum wage.
Lawal outlined their key demand: “The government must calculate and pay the difference between N9,000 and N18,000, which we have been denied for years. This adjustment is necessary for both our monthly pensions and gratuities, which have been unpaid since 2013.”
The group appealed to the Attorney General of the Federation and other stakeholders to intervene in ensuring the Osun State government complies with the court ruling.
They argued that the delay in implementing the minimum wage adjustment violates their constitutional rights.
Sola Olojede, the group’s secretary, condemned the actions of security personnel who prevented them from protesting at the state secretariat.
“Protesting is our constitutional right. Being denied access to a public space is both illegal and unjust,” Olojede said.