OSUN PENSIONERS BARRICADE SECRETARIAT OVER UNPAID ARREARS

Pensioners in Osun State on Friday stormed the State Secretariat and locked put workers in continuation of their protest to press home demand for payment of their pension arrears and gratuities.

The pensioners started the fresh protest on Thursday and continued early Friday morning before workers could arrive for work.

The protesters locked the main gate as well as the second gate thereby preventing workers from going inside.

The pensioners chanted war song. Some of them blocked the gates, while others lined up with placards beside the main road raining abuses on the governor.

Policemen, operatives of the Department of State Services and Nigeria Security and Civil Defeñce Corps were deployed to ensure that the protest is not hijacked.

One of the leaders of the pensioners, Mr. Yemi Lawal, told journalists that they would not allow any worker to go inside the Secretariat

He said the state government was owing them 12-month pensions and the gratuities of those who retired between 2008/and 2012 had not been paid.

He accused Governor Rauf Aregbesola of planning to divert the second tranche of N12,7 billion Paris Club loan refund.