Adeola Vows to Review Ogun Contributory Pension Scheme, Puts Teachers’ Welfare First
Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, has pledged to review the Contributory Pension Scheme in Ogun State, promising to place teachers’ welfare, improved working conditions and retirement security at the centre of his proposed administration.
Adeola, who represents Ogun West Senatorial District and is an aspirant for the 2027 Ogun State governorship election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), made the commitment during an interactive session with Teachers, Union Leaders and other education stakeholders at the Ake Palace Ground in Abeokuta.
The engagement provided an opportunity for representatives of teachers’ Union and professional Associations to present their concerns and demands, which included pension reform, improved remuneration, retirement age, manpower shortages, infrastructure, outstanding entitlements and general welfare.
Responding to the issues raised, Adeola assured the teachers that their concerns would receive serious attention if he gets the opportunity to lead the State.
“I am not going to abandon Ogun State teachers. I have listened to all that has been said and all the complaints. I can only do better and move forward,” he said.
Adeola Opens Door to Pension Scheme Review
One of the major issues that dominated the interaction was the Contributory Pension Scheme, which has continued to generate concerns among workers over deductions, retirement benefits and the adequacy of pensions after years of service.
Adeola said his administration would undertake a comprehensive assessment of the scheme and consider every available option in determining what would best serve workers.
He specifically stated that the Government would not rule out abolishing the scheme if that was found to be the most beneficial option for workers.
“We are going to look at the Contributory Pension Scheme and examine all available options. If abolishing it is the best option available, we will go by it,” Adeola declared.
The pledge is expected to attract considerable attention among Teachers and other Public Servants, particularly those who have consistently raised concerns about the operation and benefits of the contributory pension arrangement.
Teachers’ Welfare to Receive Priority
Adeola also promised to domesticate the enhanced retirement age approved for teachers by the Federal Government, while assuring stakeholders that efforts would be made to address manpower shortages in public schools through the recruitment of qualified teachers.
He further pledged to settle outstanding entitlements owed to teachers and strengthen teachers’ cooperative societies to make it easier for workers to access short-term loans and other financial support.
According to him, rural schools would also receive greater attention through improved infrastructure and the provision of basic amenities needed to create a conducive environment for effective teaching and learning.
He proposed the establishment of a Teachers’ Advisory Council within the Governor’s Office, which would provide a structured platform for regular consultation between Government and Teachers on policies affecting the education sector.
Adeola also promised to reduce the Ogun Teach internship programme from two years to one year, in response to concerns raised by participants at the meeting.
Adeola Highlights Previous Education Interventions
While outlining his plans, Adeola also highlighted interventions he said he had facilitated in Ogun’s education sector over the years.
He explained that his involvement in education predates his current governorship ambition, pointing to his participation in World Teachers’ Day celebrations and support for education initiatives across the State.
According to him, his interventions over the past three and a half years include the construction of 128 blocks of 12-classroom buildings, 56 staff rooms and four ultra-modern libraries.
He also listed the provision of furniture, more than 300,000 textbooks, 13 Information and Communication Technology centres and eight skills acquisition centres among his education-related interventions.
Adeola said thousands of teachers and students had benefited from digital skills training, while 12,250 laptops were distributed to teachers, students and medical personnel.
He further disclosed that more than 12,000 scholarships and bursaries had been facilitated for Ogun students.
The Senator also recalled the donation of 102 campus shuttle buses to tertiary institutions across the state and his sponsorship of legislation seeking the upgrade of the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, to a Federal University of Technology, Ilaro.
He added that he sponsored the payment of 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination fees for 2,137 indigent students, while more than 15,000 students benefited from his sponsorship of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board registration fees.
Teachers Commend Interventions, Demand More
Earlier during the engagement, representatives of teachers’ unions and professional Associations commended Adeola for his interventions in the education sector while calling for stronger attention to teachers’ welfare.
The President of the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools, Evangelist Alaba Olugbenle, described Adeola as a leader whose interventions had extended beyond education to areas such as healthcare, infrastructure and economic empowerment.
Olugbenle particularly cited Adeola’s payment of more than N80 million towards 2026 WASSCE fees for over 2,000 indigent students, as well as interventions involving school construction, renovation, libraries, instructional materials and digital devices.
He also recalled Adeola’s intervention during the 2025 education crisis, describing the senator’s efforts as evidence of his interest in the development of the sector.
The Teachers consequently urged whoever emerges as the next governor of Ogun State to sustain investment in education while prioritising the welfare, motivation and professional development of teachers.
‘Teachers Are the Bedrock of Development’
Adeola described teachers as the foundation of every functional education system, stressing that no society could achieve meaningful and sustainable development without adequately investing in its educators.
He said his proposed administration would implement the National Teachers’ Policy in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, while introducing additional measures tailored to Ogun State’s educational needs.
The Senator’s promise to review the Contributory Pension Scheme, alongside his commitments on retirement age, recruitment, outstanding benefits, cooperative societies and teachers’ representation in government, is likely to remain a major talking point as political activities ahead of the 2027 Ogun Governorship election intensify.
Global Mirror News gathered that pension reform and workers’ welfare are increasingly becoming important issues in political conversations across Nigeria, with public servants seeking stronger guarantees on their financial security after retirement.
For Ogun Teachers, the latest promises have placed the Contributory Pension Scheme firmly among the issues to watch as the state moves towards another major political contest.
