Remit our pension fund, pay our salary arrears, COEASU, SSUCEN cry out

MEMBERS of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) and Senior Staff Union of Colleges of Education, Nigeria (SSUCEN), Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED) Chapter have called on Lagos State Government and the school management to remit their pension fund and pay their salary arrears.

According to the Chairman of COEASU, AOCOED chapter, Mr. Michael Awosetinyen, “for over 17 months, workers’ pension funds are being deducted from their accounts and are yet to be remitted to their respective accounts.”

He also said that their retired staff who made the college what it is today are yet to be paid their pension. He said “our pensioners who have meritoriously served the college, whose youthful vigour, strength and milk were freely used to grease the College’s growth, glory and development; and who are now old and frail, with nothing to care for themselves except their pension benefits have been denied their pension benefits since they retired from service and are crying for help. Our pensioners are dying. They no longer send their children to school. They must not die.”

The association which has vowed not to work till its demands are met, spoke through Mr. Awosetinyen saying that the government is not funding the college with enough money despite the fact that it is the oldest institution in Lagos State said: “the monthly subvention that is being given to the management is not even enough to pay the workers’ salaries, solve the problems of the institution.

“Our governor has contravened the law by not paying workers deduction of their funds, for the fact that the government has refused to address our issues, we will remain at the gate and on the street until our demands are met”, he continued.

A member, who identified himself as Mr. Akanmu said: “Lagos State Government has violated the law, in the sense that it has deprived our pensioners their money and has refused to pay our salary arrears.”

The chairperson of SSUCEN, Mrs. Wunmi Ombugadu, said the salary  given to them is divided into two, one is being paid by the college and the other by the state government, adding that the management of the college is owing the staff seven months arrears while the state government is owing them four and half months arrears.

On the issue of retirement, Mrs. Ombugadu noted that the retirement age which was approved by the governing council of the college was 65 but claimed that a letter was sent to them by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Hon Olukoga to reverse the age to 60. She however said they had already sent a letter to the government but is yet to be responded to by the government.

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