Fayemi's Promise To Pay Teachers' Nine Months Pension Arrears Act Of Wickedness—Fayose

By Lere Olayinka
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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose has described as an act of wickedness, promise by the State Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Dr Kayode Fayose as "act of wickedness", saying; "only a wicked governor will wait till three weeks to election before realising that pensioners have not been paid since 2012.''

Fayose, who promised to pay pension and gratuities of retired government workers as at when due, added that Governor Fayemi must tell Ekiti people what happened to the billions of naira deducted from Local Government allocations for the payment of pension and gratuity.

Fayemi had pledged last week to clear the nine months pension totalling N181 million owed some retired primary school teachers between January and September, 2002. However, in a release issued on Sunday and signed by the Director General, Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation (AFCO), Chief Dipo Anisulowo, the PDP governorship candidate said; "when PDP was in government in the state, pensioners received their gratuity within 60 days of retirement while pension was paid on the 22nd of the month. We will restore that when we get to government on October 16, 2014 by the grace of God."


The statement read;


"It is a fact that Fayemi cannot contest that not less than N150 million is deducted every month from the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) for the payment of gratuity, and another N140 million for the payment of pension.

"For instance, in January, 2012 alone, a sum of N179,113,827.15 was deducted from the Local Government allocation for the payment of Pension.

"In 2013, the following deductions were made from Local Council fund for the payment of Pension and gratuity. January (N179,113.15 for pension), February, (N179,113,827.15 for pension), March (N179,113,827.15 for pension), April (N140m for pension and N251, 312,498.02 for gratuity), May (N140m and N250,826,691.22 forgratuity), June (N140m for pension and N248,256,238.25 for gratuity), July (N140m for pension and N250,068,062.81 for gratuity), August (N140m for pension and N100m for gratuity), September (N140m for pension and N100m for gratuity), October (N140m for pension and N100m for gratuity), November (N140m for pension and N100m for gratuity) and
December (N140m for pension).

"What then happened to all these deductions when pensioners were not paid their pension?
"Deductions were made from JAAC for the payment of pension, and pensioners were not paid only for Fayemi to now be promising to pay the pensioners when election is less than three weeks? Does it mean that the money was kept somewhere while the pensioners are left to suffer? Isn't that wicked?
"Pensioners in Ekiti State must therefore join the crusade to free our State from Fayemi and his government of pillagers so that they (pensioners) can return to that era of PDP government when they were paid their pension within 60 days after retirement and gratuity on 22nd of the month."