Date: 2019-04-04

Pensioners in Kwara state have said that the government owes them four-point-five billion naira from alleged illegal deductions. In a statement jointly signed by the chairman of the Nigerian union of pensioners, Alhaji Saidu Oladimeji, the chairman and secretary of KWAEPEP, Alhaji Sulu Amasa and secretary, Mr A.K.Audu, the pensioners said that the government also owes them fifteen billion Naira gratuity.

The pensioners had dragged the state government to court over the alleged illegal deductions. An Ilorin high court had declared as illegal the decision of the state government to divert local government fund to pay the salary of Junior Secondary School Teachers in the state.

Justice M.O Adewara in his ruling said that the local government fund is meant for the maintenance of primary and adult education, payment of salaries as well as entitlement of local government staff both serving and retired.

The judged ruled that the state government's deduction of four hundred and twenty-one million naira monthly from the local government fund is unconstitutional and should stop forthwith. The retirees in the statement said that the court ruling has put paid to the alleged false claim of the state government that no such deductions were made.