The Pensioners Association of Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere-Ekiti, (BOUESTI) on Sunday expressed deep sorrow over the failure of the university management to pay their gratuities.
The association said in a statement signed by the chairman, Kola Ajaja, and secretary, Tunde Olowe, that its members are owed 31 years outstanding gratuities.
The statement noted that while some of the pensioners had died in the process of getting paid, several of them were currently facing different health challenges.
The BOUESTI retirees called for the intervention of the governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji, and asked him to prevail on the university management to pay the outstanding gratuities without further delay.
They said: “Many of us are facing serious health challenges and some others are in very bad conditions because of lack of money to cater for their daily needs.
“Our people are owed various amounts of pension arrears. In addition, the management is yet to pay two months arrears of 2018 pension to all members.
“No remittance of 12 months deductions from the pension of our members to the union’s account by the University management.”
The pensioners wondered why the 20-28 percent pension increase by the university management which had been paid to the regular staff with effect from March 2024 had not been implemented for them.
“Our pension should be paid as and when due without discrimination and fractionalization,” the retirees said.
The Public Relations Officer of the university, Temitope Akinbisoye, said the institution was doing all it could to address the issue, expressing hope that the effort would lead to a favourable result.
According to Akinbisoye, the university’s authority had a fruitful discussion with the leadership of the association on October 16.