Pension is supposed to keep retirees out of tension, but most of the retired civil servants of the Lagos State government have not got out of tension, but have been wallowing in abject poverty after they were denied of their retirement benefits despite years of meritorious service.
Thanks to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode who has since brought smile back to their faces.
Top News gathered that most of the retired civil servants especially under the last administration of Babatunde Raji Fashola were not happy with the way they were treated. Some died as a result of inability to get their emoluments while most of those alive have unpalatable stories to tell.
One of the cases that brought people close to tears is that of Mr. Lateef Giwa- an Assitant Director in the civil service. He retired from the Water Corporations with high hopes that his retirement benefits of about N13million would be paid.
According to a family member, Late Giwa kept coming to his former place of work, with the aim of getting information as it concerns his gratuity but the money never came. On most occasions, he had to beg some of his former workers and colleagues for stipends to transport himself back.
On a fateful day, Mr. Giwa’s son was said to have come home from school (higher institution) with the hope of getting N5, 000 from his dad.
The man tried to get a soft loan by asking few people, but could not get the needed assistance. Feeling dejected that he could not meet up with his responsibility, he was said to have breathed heavily, and that happened to be his last breath- he died.
Late Giwa was not the only one in his ministry that died without getting his money. Some other people in the Water Corporation include Fadeyi Oluwakemi, Ademoye Foluso, Kareem Yetunde, Shonibare Abdul Yekini, Oyewole Ayinla, Awopeju Tekobo Bolaji, Jimoh Akanmu, Kadara Amos Kolawole, Ottun Najimu amongst others died before pensions were paid.
Another retiree who worked at the Lagos State Council for Arts & Culture revealed that, she will forever be ever grateful to God for keeping her to see this day. She also expressed her gratitude to Gov. Ambode. Hear her “as a retiree, I have been going to the pensions commission to see things for myself but nothing positive. I decided to go to the Governor’s Office last year myself. I met a younger colleague who works there and she told me that governor (Fashola) has not given any directive on payment. She even said that the governor did not give priority to our, but was focused on other projects. She advised that I should not bother to come again, at least for some time because my case is for last year (2014) and that there are files of about five years ago that was still pending. I almost wept. It was the lady that gave me N1, 500 to I used to transport myself back home.”
The woman who said she will ever be grateful to Gov. Ambode for putting the civil servants and pensioners on his priority list. It was gathered that, on taking over from Fashola, Gov. Amobde instantly approved about N2billion, to take care of backlogs that brought smiles to the faces of retirees. She said there are people in her ministry (Arts& Culture) who never lived to collect their retirement benefits. They include Akinsanya Folake, Adegurin Olufolajimi, Shobaloju Tajudeen Olalekan and Musendiku Sherifat Iyabo.
Pathetic Last Days of Civil Service Pensioners : Asst. Director dies begging for N5, 000 out of N13million -How Gov. Ambode came to their rescue
