Pensioners in Oyo State have urged Governor Seyi Makinde to recognise and appreciate labour leaders for sustaining what they described as seven years of unprecedented industrial peace in the state.

The National Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), Olusegun Abatan, made the appeal at the unveiling of an ambulance acquired for the union-owned Sure Health Care Hospital, Agbarigo, Ibadan.

Abatan, who is also the Oyo State Secretary of the NUP, said the state had enjoyed seven years and three months of uninterrupted labour peace under the Makinde administration, describing the development as unprecedented, particularly in the relationship between government and pensioners.

He urged the state government to do something tangible for labour leaders as a form of appreciation and encouragement for their commitment to maintaining industrial harmony.

“For complete seven years and three months, Oyo State has enjoyed unequalled labour peace. It is quite unprecedented to have such, particularly from pensioners,” he said.

Abatan recalled that previous administrations in the state had faced protests by pensioners over what he described as insensitivity to their welfare and abandonment.

“Before the coming of Engineer Seyi Makinde, there was no governor that was not protested against for their insensitivity to the rights of pensioners and their abandonment.

“I humbly request that the government should do something for these labour leaders as a form of encouragement and appreciation of their commitment to peace in the state,” he said.

The NUP spokesman also lamented that the state government had yet to respond to requests made by the union for an ambulance and solar power for its hospital, despite the requests being made about 20 months ago.
He recalled that the Sure Health Care Hospital was commissioned on December 4, 2024, by the Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal, who represented the governor at the event.

“On that occasion, we solicited two major things from the Oyo State government, an ambulance and the solarisation of our hospital.

“There was no response from the government. Twenty months after the establishment of our hospital, I am pleased to invite you to witness the unveiling of an ambulance bought by the union for the hospital,” Abatan said.
He stressed that the NUP had maintained a tradition of self-reliance and had not routinely approached governments for financial assistance.

Abatan said the union had, over the years, celebrated Pensioners’ Day without financial assistance from successive administrations in the state.

Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Oyo State Local Government Pension Board, Ademola Ige, who represented the governor and commissioned the ambulance, reiterated the administration’s commitment to the welfare and wellbeing of pensioners.

Ige described the welfare of retirees as an integral part of the Makinde administration’s policies and commended the NUP leadership for initiatives aimed at improving the lives of senior citizens.

“Oyo NUP is the pride of pensioners in the South-West and Nigeria as a whole. I want to use this medium to applaud Oyo NUP for constructing a magnificent building called Pensioners’ House, establishing Pensioners FM radio station and Sure Health Hospital, among other programmes for its members,” he said.

Ige said the pension board was pleased to identify with the union and congratulated it on the acquisition of the ambulance.

In his goodwill message, the Oyo State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Kayode Martins, lauded the NUP for acquiring the ambulance and praised its leadership for sustaining what he described as a strong relationship with the government.

Martins urged workers and pensioners to remain united, declaring, “Makinde is our project.”

The event was also attended by the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatunbosun, who commended the cordial relationship between the union leadership and his ministry.