LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) –The Retirees Forum of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (REFOMA- MAPOLY), Abeokuta, Ogun State have expressed their frustration over the slow pace of their lawsuit against the state government.
The Chairman of the forum, Alhaji Taiwo Otunba on Wednesday, claimed that the state government has been paying them based on the old CONTIS salary structure since their retirement in 2011, despite the implementation of the CONPCASS and CONTEDIS structures for current staff members in 2009.
According to him, the current staffers of the institution are being paid with the CONPCASS/CONTEDIS salary structure, while they are being neglected in retirement after having enjoyed the new structure while in service.
He stated that the situation was contrary to the national and international pensions law, which stipulated that retirees be paid based on their terminal emoluments.
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The retirees approached the National Industrial Court in 2023, but the state government sought an out-of-court settlement, which they agreed to.
However, the state government allegedly failed to honor its promise to address the issue.
Otunba called on the court to consider their plights and help fast track the process and ensure they receive the pension they are owed.
Otunba said: “We have written several letters to the state government to address this issue, all to no avail.
“We, therefore, approached the National Industrial Court in May 2023, but the state government pleaded with the court for an out-of-court settlement, which we agreed to.
“At a tripartite meeting in December 2023, the state government promised to urgently address the issue and commence immediate payment of the arrears while a Memorandum of Understanding would be signed by the parties involved.
“Unfortunately, the state government failed to honour its promise in spite of several reminders, and this has forced us to return to the court.
“While we were preparing to go to court on May 16, the date fixed for the hearing, our lawyer called us that the case had been adjourned till May 20.
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“But on getting to the court on May 20, we could not find our lawyer and also discovered that our case was not slated for that day.
“We then called our lawyer from the court and it was then he was telling us that he was sorry that he forgot to inform us that our case had been adjourned till October 2.
“Actually, we are now beginning to suspect that our lawyer has compromised and that he’s no longer straight forward with us.”
The retirees revealed that some of their colleagues have died and others bedridden due to lack of funds for medical attention.