Retired staff members of Lagos State University of Education, Ijanikin Campus, have appealed to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to intervene in the non-payment of their 31-month pension arrears, claiming that the delay was causing them severe hardship.
The aggrieved retirees under the LASUED Association of Pensioners revealed that their last pension payment was in May 2022, noting that many of their members were grappling with chronic illnesses.
Speaking with our correspondent on Saturday, the chairman of the group, Comrade Henry Ogunsanya, expressed concerns on behalf of the retirees, stating that the situation had left many members “starving, suffering from deteriorating health, and dying because they cannot afford to buy medication.”
He said, “Many members have either been evicted or are awaiting eviction from their homes due to their inability to pay rent. One particularly tragic case involves a female member who recently went blind because she could not afford the necessary medication.
“We have sent a letter and even met with officials from the Lagos State Pension Commission, who promised to meet with the LASUED management and resolve the issue. However, nothing has come of it. We also wrote to the Ministry of Tertiary Education and twice to the governor, but there has been no response or action.
“We are, therefore, taking this opportunity to make another appeal to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to ensure the payment of the backlog, as the LASUED management has cited the lack of funds released by the Lagos State Government as the reason for the delay.”
Akinsanya further emphasised that the institution’s staff has been advocating for a 72-month backlog of hazard and transport allowances during the ongoing strike, spanning from January 2013 to December 2018.
In a separate interview supporting the chairman’s statement, the association’s treasurer, Comrade A.O. Adigun, revealed that he had not received any pension payment since his retirement on November 14, 2022.
Adigun alleged that members of the group are now enduring severe economic hardship, asserting that many could no longer provide for their families without resorting to begging.
He said, “We visited Alausa and met with the permanent secretary, who arranged a productive meeting with us alongside three other secretaries. However, we were unable to meet the commissioner as he was attending another meeting.
“He expressed surprise at the length of time I had gone without payment and promised to ensure the matter was resolved. However, since then, no action has been taken. We also had discussions with the Commissioner for Tertiary Education.
“Recently, we heard the state government claim that they were not owing anyone. This might suggest that the governor is either unaware of our plight or is only referring to the mainstream ministries. I suspect that our situation is being deliberately kept from the governor.”
Responding to the situation, the LASUED Bursar, Ganiu Ajose, explained that “the significant backlog is due to LASUED not yet receiving funds from the Lagos State Government.” He assured the pensioners that “once the funds are received, all outstanding pensions will be paid.”
When contacted on Monday, the Deputy Director of Public Affairs at the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Mr. Mahmud Hassan, informed our correspondent that he would respond later.
“I will get back to you,” he said.
However, as of the time this report was filed, he had not yet done so.
