Over 300 Retired BCOS Staff Cry Out Over Three Months’ Unpaid Pensions – Oyo APC Chieftain, Oluokun Alleges
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Oyo state, Elder David Oluokun has alleged that over 300 retired staff members of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) are now appealing to the Oyo State Government to urgently address the alleged non-payment of their pensions for three months, describing their continued exclusion from the payroll as a source of severe hardship.
Oluokun said the retirees, who lamented their inability to access their monthly pension entitlements for the period under review, called on Governor Seyi Makinde, the management of BCOS and other relevant authorities to intervene and ensure the immediate payment of the outstanding arrears.
He alleged that their removal from the payroll has left many of them struggling to meet basic financial obligations, particularly against the backdrop of rising living costs, mounting medical expenses and other family responsibilities.
Oluokun said that having devoted several years of their productive lives to the service of Oyo State, they deserved to enjoy their retirement benefits without unnecessary delays or administrative complications.
He said “The retirees also questioned the rationale behind the continued non-payment of their pensions, alleging that the corporation receives a monthly subvention of N60 million and generates about N20 million in internally generated revenue (IGR).
“They argued that the alleged availability of these funds should warrant an explanation for the continued delay in settling their pension obligations, urging the appropriate authorities to clarify the circumstances surrounding their removal from the payroll and the non-payment of their entitlements.
“They further appealed to the state government not to allow their years of meritorious service to end in financial distress, insisting that the payment of pensions should be treated as a responsibility rather than a privilege.
He therefore, urged Governor Makinde, the BCOS management and relevant government agencies to take immediate steps to restore affected pensioners to the payroll and clear the three months’ outstanding payments.
