The verification exercise for pensioners in Osun State was on Monday suspended after retirees suffered exhaustion.
Other factors that contributed to its suspension included inadequate numbers of audit personnel and logistical hiccups.
According to The PUNCH, approximately 20 pensioners experienced exhaustion during the exercise, which took place in Osogbo.
It was reported that the senior citizens from across the state gathered at the venue early in the morning, eagerly awaiting the commencement of the exercise by the consultant and officials.
However, the large number of retirees who turned up overwhelmed the limited number of officials available to attend to them.
The slow pace of the exercise, which frustrated the pensioners, resulted in tension. Some of the retirees, unable to withstand the strenuous conditions, suffered from exhaustion and required attention from paramedics from the Osun Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System.
The Speaker of the State Assembly, Wale Egbedun, eventually suspended the exercise in response to the situation.
Pensioners who spoke to The PUNCH expressed their displeasure and called for the decentralization of the exercise. Pa Thomas Olagunju, Mrs. Mary Iluyomade, and Mr. Akin Ajasa, who had arrived at the venue before 7:30 am, emphasized that the staff on hand were insufficient to handle the large number of pensioners.
Following the difficulties experienced during the exercise, the state government announced a change in the process. Bedridden and health-challenged pensioners will now have their audit conducted through telephone.
The Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. Kolapo Alimi, further stated that pensioners residing outside the state and in the diaspora would undergo screening through video calls.
This measure is intended to streamline the process and alleviate the challenges faced during in-person verifications.
