Ex-Councillors Storm Ogun Govt House Over Unpaid Allowances Seven Years After Exit

No fewer than 349 former councillors who served in Ogun State between 2016 and 2019, under the administration of former Governor Ibikunle Amosun, staged a protest at the Governor’s Office in Oke Mosan, Abeokuta, on Thursday.

The protest was over the non-payment of their statutory severance and furniture allowances, seven years after they left office.

Armed with placards bearing inscriptions such as “No more promises, enough of deception, pay us now” and “Seven years of suffering is enough, pay us now,” the former lawmakers lamented the financial hardship they have endured since their tenure ended.

According to them, more than 50 of their colleagues have died due to lack of funds to attend to medical needs, while many others are battling various ailments.

One of the protesters, Hon. Ajoke Isola, who represented Igbogila Ward in Yewa North Local Government, said the former councillors served with dedication but have yet to receive their severance allowance. She noted that the government also owed them two months’ salaries and furniture allowance from their time in office.

She appealed to Governor Dapo Abiodun to intervene, stating that they had learnt the government was processing severance packages for councillors who served between 2021 and 2024.

Another former councillor, Kayode Olumide from Abeokuta South Local Government, said the group was pleading with the governor to pay them their outstanding entitlements, adding that they remained loyal members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Olufemi Biobaku, a former councillor from Abeokuta North Local Government, also appealed to the governor to put smiles on their faces, insisting that the protest was not sponsored by any politician.

Reacting to the demonstration, the Special Adviser to Governor Abiodun on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, noted that the former councillors did not serve under the current governor. He said it was unclear why the government they served under failed to pay them, especially as local government chairmen and commissioners from the same period were reportedly paid.

Akinmade added that the proper approach would be to engage the government rather than protest, but promised to contact the relevant authorities to ascertain the facts. He assured that if their demands were genuine, the government would look into them.