Pensioners in Ogun State have cried out to Governor Dapo Abiodun, informing him of the “untoward hardship” they face as a result of the Coronavirus lockdown going on in the state.
According to them, most pensioners in the state earn a monthly pension that is below the sum of N5,000, saying the money is not enough to buy them food for three days.
In their requests, they want the governor to release five trailers of food items out of the “100 trucks” they said were given by the Federal Government to the state so as to cushion the effect of the lockdown on them.
In a statement by the Ogun State Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Bola Lawal, on Monday, the senior citizens appealed to Abiodun to also pay them N10,000 each as palliatives during the lockdown.
“Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Ogun State council wishes to express the untoward hardship experienced by the pensioners of Ogun state on COVID-19 lockdown.
“Most of these pensioners earn N5,000 and below as monthly pension. This amount cannot carry them for three days as food allowances, how then do we expect them to survive the 14 days lockdown without food.
“In view of the above, NUP calls on Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun to pay N10,000 into each pensioner’s accounts as a means of palliative to soothe the pain of the lockdown.
“It would be appreciated if Ogun state pensioners are allowed five trailer loads of food items out of the 100 loads of food items sent by the federal government. The union shall see to it that the food is fairly shared among all the pensioners throughout the state,” the statement reads in part.
