.As Osun assembly raises 2015 budget budget by N37.7bn
TUNDE ADELEKE, Osogbo
Retired public servants under the Forum of 2011/2012 Retired Public Servants of Osun have called on Governor Ademola Adeleke to obey a court order mandating the implementation of an N18,000 minimum wage for retirees.
The pensioners who converged in Ogo-Oluwa/Abere road, in Osogbo the state capital said, though they were barred from staging the peaceful protest at the Abere Governor’s office by the security personnel, but were not deterred by the their action.
Speaking at the sideline of the protest, in Osogbo on Monday, the group’s leader, Comrade Yemi Lawal, accused the state government of failing to honour the ruling delivered by the Industrial Court on October 5, 2017.
He disclosed that despite winning their case in court, the government delayed action by filing an appeal in 2021, which was dismissed on February 7, 2024.
According to him, “this is not the first time we are protesting. Since 2014, we have been agitating for our entitlements to be in conformity with the N18,000 minimum wage.
“Unfortunately, the government has defied this by paying only N9,000, We have made countless efforts to engage the government, written letters, organized press conferences, and contacted top officials, but there has been no response,” he lamented.
Lawal warned of possible unrest if the state government continues to disregard the court order.
“Governor Adeleke is a product of the judiciary. Why should he refuse to obey the court’s directive? If this continues, we may be forced to escalate our actions, but we still appeal for the peaceful resolution of this matter,” he said.
The group also criticized the recently announced payment of N25,000 to retirees, calling it insufficient.
“How much is N25,000 in today’s economy? It cannot even buy 10 litres of petrol or basic food items,” Lawal argued, adding that retirees earning higher pensions would not benefit equitably from the blanket payment.
According to him, the crux of their agitation lies in recalculating the difference between the N9,000 and N18,000 minimum wages and adjusting their terminal benefits accordingly.
He emphasized that this adjustment would impact monthly pensions and gratuities, which have been outstanding since 2013.
“Our demand is simple: the government should calculate and pay the difference between N9,000 and N18,000, which is long overdue. Until this is done, we will not stop our agitation,” he concluded.
The group appealed to the Attorney General of the Federation and other stakeholders to intervene in ensuring that the Osun State government complies with the court ruling.
Condemning the action of the security personnel, Comrade Sola Olojede , group secretary said despite the fact that the peaceful protest is constitutional right of any citizen , they were surprised that the security personnel denied them this right by asking them to vacate the government secretariat where the protest is billed to take place.
Meanwhile, the Osun State House of Assembly has passed the 2025 Appropriation Bill, increasing the budget to N427,746,925,170 from the N390,028,277,740 originally presented by Governor Ademola Adeleke.
The approval followed the presentation of a report by the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, led by its Chairman, Olumide Fatunmise at a plenary session, on Monday.
Fatunmise, in his presentation noted that the 2025 Budget should be strictly revenue-driven as proposed and the state government does not have any option than to explore all available means to improve on its internally generated revenue.
He added that to ensure value for money in projects execution, the state Monitoring and Evaluation M&E system and the House of Assembly Oversight Function should be well strenghtened and adequately funded.
Fatunmise said, “Owing to adjustments, reallocations, redistributions, and additions proposed by the state government, the size of Osun State’s 2025 budget has been revised from ₦390,028,277,740.00 to ₦427,746,925,170.00.”
In his remarks, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Adewale Egbedun commended committee members and fellow lawmakers for their diligent efforts in ensuring a thorough review and timely passage of the bill.
He emphasised that the budget prioritises key sectors such as education, healthcare, infrastructure, tourism, and security, aiming to achieve meaningful outcomes that will enhance the lives of citizens.
Recall that Governor Adeleke initially presented the budget proposal of N390,028,277,740 for the 2025 fiscal year to the Assembly on Wednesday, November 13.
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