Oyo Retirees Threaten Strike Over Non-compliance With Makinde’s Directive On Pension Matters

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Oyo State Council, has accused the management of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso and Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo, of deliberately defying Governor Seyi Makinde’s directive to implement pension increases for its members.

The union described the institutions’ alleged refusal to implement the adjustments as “a gross act of insubordination” against the governor’s constituted authority. NUP warned that it would begin protests from 18th August if the matter were not resolved.

Addressing a press conference at the union’s headquarters in Agbarigo, Ibadan, yesterday, the secretary of NUP, Oyo State Council, Comrade Olusegun Abatan, said the affected institutions had failed to comply with the governor’s order despite repeated appeals by the union and threatened industrial action.

According to him, Makinde, after consultations with the union in January 2025, directed that the least-paid pensioner in the state should earn a minimum monthly pension of N25,000, with effect from January 2025. He also approved the implementation of outstanding pension increases dating back to 2010.

He said the directive included the 33 per cent pension increase approved in 2010, the 2019 consequential adjustment, the 20 per cent pension increase approved in January 2024, and the N17,500 balance from the N32,000 pension increment that took effect in August 2024.

Abatan said all government pension-paying agencies immediately complied with the governor’s directive without waiting for an official circular.

“Those agencies believe that any directive from the governor is law, whether or not a circular accompanies it, and they complied immediately,” he said.

The union secretary, however, alleged that the governing councils and managements of some tertiary institutions initially refused to implement the directive, insisting they would act only after receiving a formal circular.

He said persistent engagements by the union persuaded the managements of Oyo State College of Education, Lanlate, and Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa, to implement the pension increases.

Abatan said the union also met with the management of Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, where members were assured that the approved pension increases would be implemented. Still, the promise had yet to be fulfilled.

He said the union also visited Michael Adeniyi Koleoso Polytechnic, Saki, where members were unable to meet the Rector, who was reportedly unavailable.

According to him, the Deputy Rector, Dr Caleb Adejumobi, was unaware of the union’s earlier correspondence with the institution until the letter was read to him during the visit.

Apparently, he and other management staff had not been briefed on the letter we wrote to the institution on 1 June 2026. The Deputy Rector was teaching when we arrived, and our State Assistant Secretary, Comrade Banji Koleoso, had to read the letter to explain the purpose of our visit,” he said.

At the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Abatan said the union had exchanged several letters with the Chief Medical Director, Prof. Olawale Adebayo Olakulehin, over the matter without any positive outcome.