Retirees collapse during screening in Osun
By Richard Akintade, Osogbo
Pensioners in Osun State have called on the State government to decentralize the ongoing screening of its workforce including retirees.
The call became necessary as some of the aged retirees fainted on Monday within the premises of the Center for Black Culture and International Understanding, Osogbo, the venue of the ongoing screening.
It took the intervention of the medics of the State Ambulance Service to revive and stabilize the victims.
Retirees, numbering about 2,000 old men and women who are visibly aged, frail, and in some cases sick, were at the venue for the screening exercise.
A number of them who could not withstand long time standing were seen either, lying down, sleeping, or sitting on the bare floor to avoid eventuality.
Many of the pensioners were visibly angry for what they described as inhuman treatment by the handlers of the exercise.
Read Also: Adeleke reiterates commitment to payment of pensions, entitlements
One of them who spoke with our Correspondent, Sunday Omotosho condemned the arrangement and the eventual treatment of his colleagues who came for the exercise from across the State.
Though, he agreed that the exercise as sanctioned by the State government was desirable, but was of the opinion that the process would have been made easier if it were to be done on local government or zonal basis.
As at the time of filling this report, the exercise was yet to commence as the consultant in charge, Saadat Bakri-Ottun had yet to arrive at the venue, hence the wait was prolonged.
The staff audit was earlier suspended for weeks by the state House of Assembly over the inhuman treatment meted out to the civil servants by the consultant, but the suspension was lifted after she promised to correct her mistakes.
