Protesting pensioners in Osun barricade Govt Secretariat entrance

Pensioners  under the aegis of  “ Forum of  2011/12 Retired Public Servants  of Osun’’, on Friday, barricaded the entrance to the Government Secretariat, Osogbo, preventing workers from entering their offices.
The protest,  which began on Thursday  with the blocking of the Olaiya Junction in Osogbo,  followed the claim by pensioners of non payment of 13 months pension and gratuity arrears by the state government.
The Chairman of the group, Mr Omoniyi Ilesanmi, who addressed  newsmen on the sidelines of the protest, said the action would be sustained  until their  demands were met.
“Yesterday’s (Thursday) is not enough to press home our demand as we will from Monday next week  start barricading all the major roads leading to the state capital until all our benefits are paid,’’ he said
He said there was no truth in the allegation that an  opposition party in the state was  sponsoring  them.
Ilesanmi, who  said pensioners were tired of collecting half  of their monthly pension, also insisted on government  payment of gratuity arrears for  2008 to 2012.
The protesters, in their  hundreds, locked the entrance gate to the  secretariat in  Abere, chanting anti-government songs.
The protesters equally displayed  placards with  various anti-government  inscriptions.
Security personnel were,  however,  on ground to ensure there was no breakdown of law and order.
The Police Deputy AIG, Zone XI, Sunday Odukoya, urged the protesters  to disperse as no government official turned  up to address them.
Commissioner for  Information and Strategy, Mr Lani Baderinwa, had  said that  the allegations made by the pensioners were not true.
Baderinwa said government had paid salaries and pensions up to the month of May.
The commissioner also said that the state had yet to receive the second tranche of the Paris Club refund as against the claim by the pensioners.
He also said  the protest by the pensioners was  politically motivated, adding that it was wrong for them to have alleged government diversion of the  Paris Club refund.