Civil servant workers blocked and locked the main gate to the State House Assembly complex in Akure today for several hours protesting the Contributing Pension Scheme bill.
Civil servant workers blocked and locked the main gate to the State House Assembly complex in Akure today for several hours protesting the Contributing Pension Scheme bill.
The legislative house was due to hold a public hearing on the bill Monday, which they received from the State Government.
Workers, members of the Joint Negotiating Council, shouted solidarity and anti-war songs and were critical of Governor Olusegun Mimiko's administration arguing if the bill passed it would make them poorer.
Addressing the workers shortly after the peaceful protest, the JNC Chairman, Comrade Samuel Oluwole Adele said, "The Law establishing the Contributing Pension Scheme (CPS) afforded it to be well domesticated by each state after consultation with input from concern stakeholders who mostly must be Civil servant in the workforce of the state."
Adeleye said the government needed to show proof it was fully prepared to pay its own monthly share of the contribution.
The Pension Reform Act of 2004 established a set of rules and regulations to ensure every person in either the public or private sector get his or her pension.
State Governments are supposed to contribute 12.5% to the pension scheme with civil servants contributing anywhere from N3,000 to 10,000 a month, depending on their grade levels.
Adeleye said, "They should give us a written document indicating government payment of its own percentage on the scheme."
Documentation he said was needed to avoid employers embezzling workers contributions.
The State Head of Service (HoS) Barrister Toyin Akinkuotu said that government is taking a proposal on the scheme which would take-off as soon as the dwindling economy of the state is improved, and he made promises the state government will be faithful on its part if the scheme is finally in place.
Civil servants argue Akinkuoto is colluding with the State government to enslave people through the pension scheme.
Speaking on behalf of the House of Assembly members, the Deputy Speaker, Hon Dare Emiola, told union leaders the legislative members were representing their interests.
The Chairman House Committee on Human Capital Development, Tunji Dairo begged the state government to resolve the matter amicably in the interest of the workers with a view of putting more strength in educating and enlightening them on the basic benefits of the scheme.
Civil servants said they will continue to scrutinize the Assembly and the State government if it goes ahead in passing the bill into law without considering their benefit and interest. They say the bill is not genuinely disposed to worker's welfare.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content1'); });
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('comments'); });
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content2'); });
