The Managing Director of Entreprenovate
Nigeria, Mr John Olawoyin, on Sunday said
that only seven per cent of government
workers receive their gratuity after
retirement.
Olawoyin in an interview with the News
Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at a programme by
Kosofe Local Government, Ogudu, Lagos,
said that the indebtedness of government to
retirees was worrisome.
The theme of the programme is “Life After
Retirement and Life as a Self-Employed’’.
The programme, which held at the premises
of the local government, had speakers from
private organisations.
He said many of the retirees had died while
waiting in vain to receive what they had
laboured for through their service years.
“The high rate of indebtedness to retirees
as regard their gratuity is alarming. Only
about seven per cent do receive their
entitlements on retirement, this is
unacceptable.
“Government, according to records, is
owing retirees to the tune of N5 trillion
which it wants to convert to bond, this is an
inexcusable debt.
“That governors award themselves mind
boggling pension after serving for eight
years at most, while neglecting those that
may have worked for 35 years is a gross
injustice.
“Most of these retirees either die on the
queue waiting to collect their pay or bed
ridden waiting to collect their gratuity; it’s a
pity that things could go wrong this far,’’ he
said.
Olawoyin said that it was painful seeing
retirees suffer after their meritorious service
to fatherland while politicians enjoy political
largesse.
“It is painful seeing these pensioners suffer
after some have worked for many years
without having anything to fall back on
besides their hope which is hinged on
gratuity and pension.
“What is more worrisome is the way the
politicians are apportioning a larger part of
our commonwealth to themselves without
thinking about the poor masses.
“There is a need to restructure our system
to encourage workers to be corruption-free
while in service because thinking about
what their plight may be after service may
encourage corruption.
“In some states of the federation, payment
of gratuity is zero, some have not even paid
entitlements for close to 12 years now, the
facts are there for anyone to cross-check,’’
he said.
Olawoyin said that workers should
endeavour to brace up to face life after
retirement in order to live well.
“Workers need to brace themselves up for
life after retirement and they can only do
this by ensuring that they save for their
future or better still have an investment.
“That is why we are sensitising workers
how to have a good life after retirement. It
is possible to live as if one is still in service
while in retirement.
“First thing workers should know is that
their salary cannot be enough, so they need
to open up for streams of income and not
waiting for government alerts only for
sustenance.
“Workers can engage in the provision of
services that will not interfere with their job
as a civil servant or public servant,’’ he said.
Contributing, the Sole Administrator of
Kosofe Local Government, Ogudu in Lagos,
Mrs Jumoke Animawun, tasked the council
workers on early preparation for their
retirement.
She said that preparation should start on
the day of employment pointing out that
early preparation was key to retirement.
“Indeed, retirement starts with employment.
This should be a slogan.
“Kosofe Council is passionate about workers
welfare and that is the reason we are
embarking on programmes like this to
enlighten workers on what they need to
know.
“Workers deserve to retire and enjoy their
retirement, but in a case whereby they failed
to plan, they get into dilemma managing
whatever the meager they get from pension.
