The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Oyo State Council, has directed its members to commence a mass protest on Tuesday at the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, and the Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo (EAUED), over the non-implementation of pension increases.

The Oyo State NUP secretary, Olusegun Abatan, gave the directive on Monday at a news conference organised by the union.

He explained that the protest was triggered by the failure of the two institutions to implement Governor Seyi Makinde’s directive on pension adjustments.

Mr Abatan said the governor had in January, after consultations with the union, directed the implementation of N25,000 minimum pension effective January 2026, consequential pension adjustment of 33 per cent, 20 per cent pension increases effective from 2010 and 2019 and payment of N17,500 out of N32,000 pension increase effective August 2024.

He said the management boards of all tertiary institutions in the state initially refused to implement the governor’s directive on the pension increases because there was no circular to that effect.

However, several institutions later complied after the union wrote to their chief executive officers to plead their case.

He listed the compliant institutions to include the Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa; the Oyo State College of Education, Lanlate; and the Michael Adeniyi Koleoso Polytechnic, Saki.

He identified LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, headed by its chief medical director, Olawale Olakulehin, and Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo, headed by the vice-chancellor, Lanre Olaniyan, as the only two institutions yet to implement the directive.

According to him, some tertiary institutions later implemented the directives after the union wrote their chief executive officers and pleaded with them.

“The management of these two institutions implemented the minimum wage for their active workers while leaving out their pensioners in their display of arrogance and insensitivity to the plight of pensioners in the state,” Mr Abatan said.

He added that the leaders have shown utter disdain for the union and its members.

The secretary said the protest at the two institutions, which would start on Tuesday, would continue daily until their demands are met.

He said the aggrieved pensioners in those institutions would be joined in the protest by all pensioners from the ministries, departments and agencies of government in those areas.

He said the protest is not designed to embarrass Mr Makinde but rather to whip into line the management of the two institutions that have disobeyed the governor’s directive.

Speaking on the development, the NUP senior assistant national secretary, Waheed Olojede, stated that the national body fully supports the state council’s decision.

He also commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for its ongoing efforts to address the plight of pensioners across the country. 

(NAN)