LTV pensioners plead with Sanwo-Olu over unpaid pension
Group of pensioners of the Lagos Television (LTV), with 35 years unblemished record, have sought the intervention of the Governor, Lagos State, Babatunde Sanwo-Olu, over non-payment of their pension benefits by the management of the station since 2015.
The pensioners, recently at a news conference lamented the inexplicable sufferings they have been undergoing consequent upon the withholding of their entitlements after their long years of meritorious service.
One of the aggrieved staff, a former Director, Marketing Department of the station, who retired in 2015, Hakeem Adewunmi, accused the management of mismanagement, which led to the financial hardship being faced by the victims.
“For the past years I have not received a kobo. I retired since 2015, and yet to get my gratuity and pension. Majority of LTV pensioners are suffering, and some of our members have died in the struggle. I lost my wife due to my inability to meet up with the medical requirements. I sincerely appeal to the governor of Lagos state to intervene in this matter and bring succor to LTV pensioners, because we have worked for it, hence, our entitlement should not be on hold,” he said.
Another victim, a retired Manager of Programmes, Teslim Ajayi, expressed sadness over what he has been going through as a result of the non-payment of their pension, adding that all appeal by the pensioners to the management had been disdained.
“We are being denied of our entitlement. Most of us are living from hand to mouth which is unfair. We served for 35 years in this station and normally should by now be enjoying our pension for the years spent, but reverse is the case.
“We are all affected. Any time we hold our meetings, some off us trek from home and one would see the sufferings on everyone’s face. I lost my son this year due to the financial depression,” he said.
Ajayi appealed to the government to urgently take action to improve the living condition of LTV pensioners.
A statement on behalf of the pensioners signed by Ajayi, Adewunmi, and retired Director of Production, Tunji Adegbayibi, called for immediate government intervention.
According to them: “We have observed that the management of LTV are docile to matters relating to pension benefits. What it takes to pay pension benefits is just prudent spending devoid of corruption. Today, LTV management pays their staff salaries and allowances without even considering to bail us (pensioners) out of hunger.
“It is therefore sad how we lost our beloved ones and even some of the pensioners to financial depression. This is uncalled for and we hereby appeal to the Lagos state government, particularly Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to prevail on the management of LTV to pay all withheld pension benefits of its retired staff from the station since 2015.
“We are bitter at the management because of their insincere approach to the plight of retirees hence, we need government intervention for the first time on the issue of pension payment,” they said.
In response to the pensioners’ allegation, the General Manager of the station, Mrs Siju Alabi, denied the allegations that the management did not want to pay the pensioners, and affirmed that the management of LTV station has an obligation to pay all their pensioners.
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