By; Niyi Ogungbola, Abeokuta.
Ogun State workers weekend called for the abolition of the Contributive Pension Scheme (CPS) bill in the state, describing it as a fail bill.
The workers under the aegis of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) stated this at the 2016 May Day celebration, held at the M.K.O Abiola stadium, Abeokuta.
According to NLC Chairman, Comrade Akeem Ambali appreciated the step taken by the Ogun State Government in allowing operation of the C.P.S and T.P.D together.
He however, regretted that the government has not been paying both employers and employees contributions for the past 65 months.
He there for, reiterated “labour’s demand for the immediate suspension of this already moribund scheme until the finances of the state improves.”
Similarly, his TUC counterpart, Comrade Olubunmi Fajobi said the Congress regretted the CPS implementation, hence the resolve to demand for the scheme suspension.
“This demand was borne out of the fact that government has continuously not shown commitment to faithfully turn the scheme round.
“Why should government continue to violate its own law? Failure to remit fund deducted to pension Fund Custodian through PFAs within seven days is a serious offence under the CPS law. Unfortunately, Ogun State Government has failed to remit CPS fund for 69 months.”
Fajobi asked that the government return the workforce to the old scheme for now until government is ready to finance the scheme”.
The state governor, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun called for the workers understanding, stressing that the global economic crunch is affecting the finances of the state.
According to him, a sum of only N800m was given to the state for the month of April, as monthly allocation while the state monthly expenditure is about 11b monthly.
