Ibadan To Host First “Pensioners Radio” In Africa

Oyo State Chapter of Nigerian Union of Pensioners’ (NUP) Radio station, “Pensioners Radio” will be commissioned in September by Governor Seyi Makinde.

The union’s secretary, Comrade Segun Abatan, broke the news when the management of Oyo State Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, led by its Permanent Secretary, Dr. Bashir Olanrewaju, visited the Pensioners’ House at Jericho, Ibadan, to witness the test transmission of the radio station.

Abatan said the radio station was the first of its kind in Africa and it would focus on broadcast of issues relating to the welfare of pensioners in the state among other issues.

He said the feat was achieved because of the relative peace, financial empowerment and confidence that the Governor Seyi Makinde administration had restored back to workers in Oyo State.

Abatan stressed that the union built its edifice, the radio station, an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centre and pensioners’ clinic from the meager resources that members contributed from their monthly pensions.

“Today is another day we shall never forget in the lives of Oyo State pensioners. Despite our meager earnings, you can see all we have been able to achieve. Even NLC, despite their humongous income, has not achieved this.

“Now that we have Omituntun (referring to Makinde), everywhere is calm and people are now happy. We have started the test transmission of the station today and we are happy the ministry of information is here to honour this event. It is our plan that the executive governor of Oyo State will commission the radio come September.”

Olanrewaju said the pensioners’ radio came as a challenge to all other workers’ unions as the pensioners that would be expected to be resting after retirement were the one achieving many commendable feats.

He admonished the leadership of the NUP to monitor the activities of the radio station so as not to be a source of misinformation and propaganda against government and politically-exposed individuals.

“Let this be the flagship of responsible journalism. I hope ‘Pensioners Radio’ will not be used to peddle rumour and tarnish the image of the establishment. Make sure you employ workers that will not put the image of the establishment down.”

The Pensioners House at Jericho in Ibadan has a 1000-capacity hall for events, an ICT centre powered by The Polytechnic, Ibadan and a standard clinic.