CDWR supports Ogun workers’ strike to win unremitted pensions
Unremitted N82bn contributory pension deductions for 17 years by Ogun government: CDWR supports the ongoing indefinite strike by workers
Calls for a series of mass actions and not limiting the strike to a sit-at-home action
CDWR condemns threats and intimidations of labour leaders and call on the government to accede to workers’ demands without delay
The Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) Ogun State Chapter, solidarises with the ongoing indefinite strike by the Ogun state public service workers over the failure of the Dapo Abiodun-led APC government to remit N82bn contributory pension deductions spanning 17 years to the appointed Pension Funds Administrators (PFAs).
We call on the governor to immediately accede to the demands of the workers so that they can return to work. We also urge the striking workers not to succumb to the devious machinations of threats, intimidations and harassment by the state government. Instead, we call on them not to limit the strike to a sit-at-home action, but rather, embark on a series of mass actions including daily workers’ congresses, rallies, demonstrations, protest marches, sit-ins, picketing, press conferences among others. This, in our view, would create awareness for the struggle, win public sympathy and support and increase pressure on the state government and compel governor Dapo Abiodun to meet the workers’ demands. Furthermore, the CDWR calls on the government to stop forthwith, the ongoing threats, intimidations, harassment of labour leaders and condemn the high-handedness of the governor Dapo Abiodun.
Recall that the Ogun state public service workers have embarked on an indefinite strike since 15th July, 2025 to protest the state government’s non-remittance of N82bn contributory pension fund deductions from the workers salaries, spanning a period of 17 years to the Pension Funds Administrators (PFAs), despite repeated pledges by the government to do so on different occasions. The Ogun state Pension Reform Act of 2008, which was amended in 2013, establishes a Contributory Pension Scheme, whose commencement is slated for July 1, 2025. Under the said contributory scheme, it is stipulated that both employers (government) and employees(workers) should contribute and set aside monthly savings of 7.5 per cent each of the basic salary of the workers, which is to be kept by appointed Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs).
However, while the workers have consistently met their side of the bargain, through prompt 7.5 percent deductions from their monthly salaries by the government, the same state government has callously and deceptively refused to contribute its 7.5 percent contributory funds now totalling N82bn and remit same to the PFAs for over a period 17 years and still counting. Meanwhile, according to the Pension Law, these deductions from the workers salaries and the government’s counterpart funds should be remitted within seven (7) days after deductions to the designated PFAs. Deliberately, the government has consistently refused to meet its part of the contributions.
According to reports, the 17-year-old pension scheme was signed into law in 2008 by then former Governor Gbenga Daniel administration. But the same governor callously afterwards failed to remit 25 months of workers’ deductions before leaving office in May 2011. In the same vein, his successor, Ibikunle Amosun, who amended the law in 2013, with commencement date of implementation of the contributory pension scheme scheduled for July 1, 2025, only remitted nine months of workers’ deductions during his entire eight-year tenure. Sadly, the Dapo Abiodun government, within over six years in office, has remitted no dime as workers’ deductions for the pension scheme, while dutifully deducting same from the workers’ monthly salaries. This is despite several letters and messages sent to the government over the nagging problem, on different occasions by the workers’ leaders. Sadly, the government has remained mute, turning deaf ears to the workers pleas and refusing to address their plights by meeting the demands.
The CDWR views the attitude and action of the Dapo Abiodun government towards the workers as not only bordering on arrogance, insensitivity and wickedness, but also mirrors the broader attacks on the mass majority of the workers and poor people by the Dapo Abiodun’s government through the implementation of anti-poor, pro-rich policies in line with the prescription of the IMF and World Bank. These policies and programmes which include underfunding of public education and healthcare privatization of state owed assets, commercialization of social services, cuts in public spendings for infrastructure, increased taxation, inadequate investments in housing, industries, award of inflated contracts, etc., all geared toward corrupt enrichments of few cronies both in corporate and public sectors, to the detriment of the suffering poor majority. This is unacceptable, and we call for the reversal of all anti-poor capitalist policies thus far implemented by the Dapo Abiodun government, and the previous governments before him. These policies have made life unbearable and miserable for the majority, while a tiny few rich individuals enrich themselves from the public money or super exploitation of the masses made possible by the policies. In equal measure, we also call for the reversal of similar anti-poor policies implemented by the Tinubu-led federal government, including fuel subsidy removal, devaluation of the naira, increment in electricity tariff among others.
Above all, we reiterate our call on the striking workers not to be cowed by the antics of the state government, but rather insist on their demands, by intensifying their resistance, carrying out different peaceful mass actions including holding rallies, street protests and demonstrations, sit-ins picketing etc, till government meets their demands. We call on civil society organizations, NLC and TUC national leaderships to give unalloyed solidarity support to the Ogun state workers and prevail on the Dapo Abiodun government to accede to the workers’ demands without delay.
Eko John Nicholas
Coordinator CDWR Ogun State Chapter
08022634850
E-mail: [email protected]