18
Govt and the horrible experience of pensioners soI~tafterall as heoou1d not ~t a
Sheriff Folarfn
~ ClI'
'efb\ l-enslon 9C3tnS. rnisal> r~ntand
so rortJi, )1a\';'1 rown Uke ma1lgnant tumour in NJ ~ rlan Onandallandscape with tho! O\teI sight per!IOnJlel beblg the malnctilllfii.< 'f hlle their emp~ the Federal ~'PrnJ"'te'll has watched 0YI!r the yean ...,lth tvip essness. as this prot..
leIn uOOero.lIs tHe I3I'dwOOdng Nigerhn public&er'\1U'ts. eaged pensk>iICffla..'"e regularty *,jedg( to rigcnNs e~ \\11eneYer'UOOO'tll in the Pmskm Jlowe
n
(1nswaoce~]J des. admlnlstrators.
gD\"E!I"tUOetlt IJet"IIOItnel) has dipped
his
stkky and ~mvllngers lntopenskln fund.ln thliip['(lC'.51, 8Udl penskx"lB"S. after gMng ~.O tll tllenaUon. mJle to line
upforone*'eeltU gexenigeoctheotter that §;rd1IlP In disaster: if they tk» not drop t wt lI'ln endless queulll@.
JlUw' blroUect the horrible pit-
theymay
tance tha1 - If' au 11 rtties are hal'xlin8 out
as pensm. I ~ I he F'\nance Minster. Dt: Ngozt Okodjl~I\\~1a. wtU I1!Od Utls piel:e and use bet Food 0 1lces. as usual, to tight the pk!thonui v noflg!lln theoountry'! pension adsn 'nl!;tr!Oon. FYA (his LnlU; L1:). had \\Q'ked with the F'edemJ ~Tmnlf! nt In one d the defunct
rederal boon1, for 11most :.> )1!IB1"S. He had tnMned lJ- f' NorCl and South ill patrintic serv\celotl.. natkn. ButgQ\""I!mlllelll.ln Its usual poJ.'Y CQf fusion.disI!IoI.ved thP marketing IU'<l. gnt Ins boards hi 19B7, UIUS ending mil tly f' '/lis career as au barest and ~r'drn Jlccoumanl He had IlCIt pre~ fd-" ;uc+ll 'xU. but his faithful contrlbutktr. w'ld!,-lhe pensioo schenle should hao." haU od him out Butjusc aIler ~t; tlw;! 1"1"1 sion scheme seemetl
kobo
Wltll months aftec When fOrtunes started smlllng 00 him, what he began to get tM!IY three months as pensioo Is between ~ and N5,(DJ. He later joined a big jlrtvate OOIllpany In ~ and tmderthe peuskJn
scheme, he oouJd transfer bJs pension details for the purposed synchronism and future ~l After II yean with that 1XlD\paJ1)t he retired and settl!!d at his Ibadan oountry home; bulas ....'edlscl9 this tlJ(lll}I!Ilt, all the grammar aixJut synchronisation d his pensjon aaount! seerned a filra!: a<> UIE! NSrrF' had to inform
hJmsevt.'r.\l times that there ~ gap8 and outright <mission rL his data in their
databatlk... II FY,6;sexperlence was wlfab; now read this pathetic story d ML Jooathan OLlgbinde ....."OO li\'es in ltaosln. Abeokuta MI:. Oligblnde had to write In the newspaper to call the Federal Go\.'emment'!I attenlioo to his pUght: but week! after oothlr* had been done. he yet wrote again. 1quote him: "AlnlOSt a ymr after a biometric vertflcaUon ror Federal pel'L'lloners. Iny further appeaJ to the Head rL Service. nothbl8 has emerged for me to be pak1 my l2-war penslon anears..1 had ti'Dllght that UI!! vegetatlYP«Jnd.ition with whkh I appoottd befin Ule pane) \\Vl.IId ellclt UJ"8Ii!IlI action. but the I!Xf'fdse W'I!I1t the wayd pmrkJus relll'e9t'nlations to AblUa and Abeokuta ofIk:es." TIle most pathetic path rL OliKblnde'!I letter reads: '"Or; can NI.743 (00<" UIOU sand seven hWldred and rorty-Lhree naira) being paid h.ophamrdly uow be 001"" red ror 8 NoYmtber 1999 (J5.year service) ret.ir'ee' Urgent action should be made to pay my dues before J dJe. as my health deteriorates. Let my SIIlrit feel obUged to pray rorthls nation" WiUltelse am wec::aU this treatment towards Pa 0Ugb1nde and millions rL other pensioners than sheer and wlpal'l10naNe wk:kedness. extreme cal1ou!n!ss as well as U'II! height d man's InhwnanUy 10 man? The question is. has 8JtyUtlng t;e>n done yet, after aD thogesave-my-sou1lctters? It cannot be 1I surprise if UJe like! d rYA and Pa Olingblndeare negktcted by the
am
rotund cheeks and bi8 bellies in gIM!rnment and pension adminIstratJon that contlnualJy attr.K:t cur.lE!S d the cheated I!iOUIs upon our dear nation. E\'e\ J)(Mmul. more vociferous calls by stnxlg bodies such as Ure Federal Uni'm"SIUes I\ms1onenMo sodat.Ion (flJPA) ha\'e been iwDl!d FUPA has. a1 natiooal and Ioca1 dlapter k!\.'I'!'Is In 8OI1le unM!rsitill!S written. petitioned and aopea]ed for Unlghtfulness and transpar. ency in their pension administration on sewra.I oa:asims. For Instance. vmen the A!deral GoYernment inaeaged pension by 53 per cent with effoct fiun July I, am, tilE! calculations dOOle by stakeldders.lrdudlog the NaUona1 Unh'efSlties QJIrunJsslon (NUC)rcrpaymentd arreanup to3J11 put the swn at N'1&7blillon...ltawtM!r; when p.wnment di!doeed a budget d on1y N13.1 bUUon asanearsand Nl5.6 bllllon rill' 21112 pension payment., 8Jki ooly went ahead to relea.ge N13.1 billion to COYer 8ITl'Ol'S from 2IX8aod 3)12 payment, FUPA aicd out In May 3)12, asking goo.oenunenl to at least use the NI3.1 billion to jlnnpstart the arrears ~t and then 10 do the right th1n8 subeequenti~ Dkl goo.oemment do the right thing" On AuRust 16., 2012. ruPA alerted the NUC d the lack d the devclopment In a k!tter It oopk!d the HOOOunlble Minister of Finanoe, Directoc-General d Budget
Office 0( the MInistry. Chairman d House Committee 00 Pension 0( the National Assembly and the Sea-etary to the Gov emment rL the Fedcratlon.lt described F'G's act:lc.las "regrettable" but still demonslnued understandIng by appeal Ing ti18t the shortfalls be addressed in the 2013 bodget, presenllnga total swn rL N34 billion as the cost implications to remedy thesituaLion... F'UPA had also lamented policy implementation delays in a comnlluUcaUon to the House Committee on Pension 1ed by HooourabIe Bawa Kanba.. TIlr WlM!rsities' )X'IlSknen had blamed pensloo ti'aud and mismanagement on delayed poUcy execuLIon. counseI.ling thatgovenunmt shouJd effect theSJ percent IlImlE!diall!l~ 11leir rears were right; the delay led to theodJous
autoomed released the N13.1 billion peanuts as payment from :1m to :1112. when tGI bUUoo Is actually requ1rcd Al9o. FlJPA had oondemned the policy r;L n.'lDOUlSe to the Pe'L'lioo f\Uld Admbt.lstratcn(pFAs), de:scrtblng the PYAs' drh-e rL 8 new pt'IlSkxl !theme as oounterpnXioctJ\'e to the inter est Ii those who had belonged to theoki
scheme. In an open petition to President 0000luck Jonathan on August 16. Ute)' n:)ected the new !theme for CI!rtIlin reasons.. F\rst,
the insurance oompanles UUlt h:nlle penskln wUr the new sdll!nle subject Ure pensioners to painfW walthl8 games that yiekl no gratuities in the long run... Seolnd, thelftlll1wnd the insurers isuppennost and not the .....'elfared pensioners. and as sud\, Ure insunn are always reluctant to pay the pcnskxlSand UIUSsubjet:t the poorpensklner.i to the endless Ill.t Illin::Jurnglng wail Thin:L the Insurers play "god" and can be vtndk:tiYe as .....eD as ncpoUsUc in the disbursement d the pensions. f'UPA declarOO that tilE!)' .....ere more 00I11fortable with the system In ....tddl fl.ux1!I are dIsbur!Ied throuih the OfIlced the AcoountaJtt-Qen· era( to Ule Central Bank and to the universl Ues.in that ordet. My worry is \\-hy SOUle I'OOPIe \\'Ollld not feel any pricking In UleirCOflSCkmces stealing money that belong to other people. partlcuJ.arty money meant ror the aged or the dead Ilaw .....ou1d they reellr otlMn did that to their fatiJen., motIK.-'I"!I or children' Whallegacy 8J"l' tht>y leav In8 behJnd for those thai see them as rolf' modcls~ What futun> are they c:realing ror their chlldren when they absorb liO much lntanglble bul efficackJuscurses tha1 RO WIUI such IgnominY' What Nlgerla IlI'e they lm-enlin&or reim'eJlting by such acts 0( brazen thie\'el'Yand kleptc.nania' Ir they do I10C rear God, why noc at least just be nice to feUow men, particularly these aged pensioners who have s .....eated 10 create the wealth on whldl tiJe)' now ~it? 'Dr. ShI!ri/J F RJlaruIIi!DC:hn fblitJcsOlIll lntrnaJional RdaJlofis at Cbt!'Jl(1nt l/1dtlf!r'
>i()l0In._
Osun cocoa industry: Dead or alive?
O l UMIOE
L ..Wi\l
- - - - - w S~ tried his best to JlUt It on sound
""I.b I """3U
codJn pmd Jets 1ndustJ'}' has a bll
rnlInllinl ill, tiJefTfore. O"''e great IJ1JUt " ' tn n any peJpJe til gD\W1lm81t and l'iidr II TIll! then MllltarY Gal.wn t""8!'I VI'l'Yardent to break a monopoly if bad ro'1W1e!1 ror Edf' by act":~ly supportiJ'tK hie ql 1ft t to !lIte the indusU'y here. II is JIl l ~me;t pr.I)"ft'thall!\'f'I"}"ODI! connect!tI-AUh the operalkJn r# lhe factory in What~~' 3t~.., would Rnd)oy and happiness in t11t'b undenak.lnp" That His M/t,Iest)t the late Dba 'O,)anl 0Iad0kwl d~_"U~ Agbonran U, TImI r# Ede'srtHY~~ Ilopedellverrtl at till' ~im)11I1 m lhe multl·mIIIlion nain
~tl III Itwhl!ltrJ; Ede on C>c:tobe" 17, 19G.wtth '1'0114 Bola~asoI.dOyoStm.e
""""
~
IIrteJdillce,nuswrlter~
the f\'ellt hope is
- RIId 0
'llp:rla. Ibadan. BUI that
IItmllst IoIt, as thi!I supposedly I);'jo!· fo "t-lgnexdwJ«" earner for theeoD"ny 1,1 )sun Stalf' Is IlOlltlef"llna the )'mnIIn! anoll splrationsr# illl round (JrtIIllis~
Ina fathe-A. r lI! l " senl SlII~r# ~rntion in theaJl!lPlllY 1.1; rot ~ ~ral 3\10~ ra .... on: IN f t respollsiblp rOCtM situation.. the !Ill ustry was 1I dtlld eX
"",""",""
From lb' 00Sf't. one IlqUabble orother real'fd Its Uf;lv 1lIe 0nI expatriate Man!!§ing ["ncbr rL the companr; Mr K.
""at _
footlnp but he lost oul In a d1l1}' board·room politka in a dnmatk: tJI8lIJlft: Thf' ~ m~nt.owne- mthe company ti)8'l'afier rell roncemed about happenlnc! in tile company and deckIed In 1990 to 1M!le i1 out This brought about 1I 'rnarrlav eM SU'allp bed pannen', And the resultant f'fTect saw another round r# equabbh!s. The f'M) prindpal1ease!l rL the factory al the time. Le. \\bt1dw:IdI! lndustriaJ Vent.uns Umlted and Dalamj CNlg.) Umltl'd. got IrMlIl'f!d in ~ tJons and COW1ter-aU~gaUons, which rt'Sulted In l~p.I action. that saw two JtogaIlwnlnar" les the late QUef Fndric:k Rotbnl Al.ade Williams (l'bn11he Lnt SAN) and Chief Aft, BAbalola (SAN) sluuinllt out. an C>soIbo High Court. This """-Ilion for II period MfiJll"saJlity pm'3lIed. as the admlnlslnllion n( Alhajl Islaka ~ the first eD!CUtM pWft'TIOr d 0SUn State took UJe tNIJ by the horns by IJfviIll the final nod to Woridwk:te 1IItl\$rlal VelltW'e Limlted to ~ectl\'eIy run the atralrs of tile compIlII): DaJarllj (NI,,) Umlted apin went to court to rontest Its termlnatkKI and this ".,1!tlt on roc years before It WM t'!SOI:wd by Oylnlola (IOY\!nII1I4!nl R. P Singh and his lIWlaIl'f1lat World wide lndU!lCrlal Venture Limited may IIOl rHdUy conoede to the ract that thf'y pas. ~ the pn:rM"blal ma.gk: wands. BUI that exactly appeand to be wtw. thty tmploytd in breathtnca new lease r# Uft! to thI! hitherto
troubled Cocoa Products Industry £de. fol lowing an agreenent It !ItrUdI: with the p munent r# Osun Stat.e.lt staru!d ~lkm rullyon February l. 1992 a.tle- a protnCted pI:Gt aplnst a:JnOeI'ted forees r# fate. AI the time WorkIwIde Vmtures Umlted took OYer. production capacity W8!I at five pen:enlleYel But It raised the production capacity to Q) pen:enl, by In,Iectlni substantial funds into importation r# spare part! as \\'ell as loca1.Iy IIOI.IroI!d ones fi'om the Nigeria Machine 1'001 Limited Qaosbo and Nlgerta SUgarCompany Foundries. Bactta. 1lIe ITA oootrntsrL cocoa cake Imd butter WIder Worldwide Ventun!S Limlted hao.-emt between l _«land 1.55 as against 1.24 befcn It took (M'C GJobaUy acceptable ITA standard ror~ bune-is 1.50. M06t unfonunately; the l1f1t"IIlf!Cted ha~ pened in 1996, wtJeI the IN!tehoId ~nt rL Worldwide Ve1tures Umlted with Osun State Gownunt'Slt was crudellt Weplly and /lrropntly tennlnated by !lOme 0\1!I'"-u!:lIious officlaJs rL the t.tlnlstry rL CommI!n.'eand industry; IIClinI on the lnstruction r# the ti)E!fl mUitary admlnlstrator, Anthony UdoOa.. And Worldwide Ve1l1u~ Limhed W85 thro.....n out of Cocoa Product lndustr'J pmnises in ajungle ma.nner.ll "'3!I11ke ac:artngaway foreign im'fSton. Whatl"olJoowed couJd be bet tel" imagined than de9c:rtbed.. ~ and then bqan the unendlnc and pr'Otl"aCted problem of the industry todaJ
un
Osun State Government", only industr'J
ract
which in Is a IOldmlne, if properly tnanAlPd, is till! Cocoa Product lndus~ Ede. It Is a ~tAble aoun:e eX rol't!lgn 6 chang~ earnings for thp slate II Is capable of generatinl the much needf'll internal ~nUfl rOl'" the stat~ at this crurlal "lOmen! or its development But then, it Is left for tile state go\wllm~nt and till! State House r# Assembly; to take dedsl\1! measure, by teUbll Osun Indigenes, "iIat a Chinese pn:lhIOIer . QUIAN CHUAN Uv1ngSpringCocoaln~ltr.ompany
Umltt'd, Isdoin& in the factory 51!.. ror upward eX Il1Ot1! than three yean IIO'W. TIleY ~ brt'!uWIl in by lM admlnlslnt!lon of for mer GovernorOytruola. And siJ1cp tJwoy took physkal poiSl!ieS!Ilon rL the compan\; nobod)' has deemed It to explain to the members of tJJe public on ..."hat terms the Ch~ people IU'e set to run the OOCOIllndUSCJ)l. So many thlngs 8l1! shrouded In ~ \\'e need 10 know. Is this not 8.I'IOlhe" 5Ubtle attempt to8C8l"l! IM"IIY foreign Investors? '!'tIer! shoukI be 110 bad blood. as regards " 'ho bn:JuKh1 then buo the 9CeIlf' What we need in Osun Stal" is ~ted lndustr:la.l~l _ Wejl$ need to be briefed on how much the 0tlneJe Investors paid to Osun StAte('oO\-ernment throu&h the.wntnl5tratlon of r~GoY emorOylnlola bftore it """aSgtwn tiH! nod to
nt
"""" tn.
<JIum1dt Wwollwts In 0)'SIa1 \1JJa, Ede. OwnS/nIL