The Nigeria Union of Pensioners, on Sunday, mentioned some retirees are nonetheless receiving N500 as month-to-month pensions within the nation.
The Secretary of the union in Kaduna State, Alhassan Musa, in an interview with the Information Company of Nigeria, described the situation of the returnees as “pathetic”.
He mentioned that a lot of the affected retirees had been in precarious circumstances, including that, “they sacrificed their lives and providers for the nation.
“The worst affected are pensioners in a lot of the Southern and oil producing states regardless of getting fats allocations from the federation account.
“The situation of pensioners in some Northern states and the FCT are much better up, as a few of them obtained between N3,500 and N18,000 month-to-month pension.”
Musa, who can also be the NUP scribe in command of the 19 Northern states and the North-West, nonetheless, mentioned that solely retirees in Kaduna state had been incomes N30,000 minimal pension month-to-month.
The secretary recalled that the Kaduna state authorities in 2020 applied a N30,000 minimal pension in the course of the administration of gov. Nasir El-Rufa’i.
He, subsequently, advocated for a 50 per cent upward overview of the minimal pension, to enhance the social and financial wellbeing of the retirees.
This, he mentioned, is important contemplating the socioeconomic realities within the nation.
“The union proposed a 50 per cent increment even beneath the defunct N30,000 nationwide minimal wage.
“We’re anticipating that the 50 per cent increment could be authorised in step with the brand new N70,000 nationwide minimal wage.
“Even beneath the Federal Authorities, some pensioners are receiving N10,000 minimal pension.
“We hope that the federal authorities will stability it up in order that no pensioner will obtain lower than N70,000 as his/her month-to-month pension.
“Let pensioners additionally take pleasure in the identical advantages the employees are having fun with. If a employee is receiving N70,000 minimal wage, let the pensioner take pleasure in the identical,” including that the month-to-month minimal pension ought to be at par with the brand new nationwide minimal wage.
Musa additionally urged the governor, Kaduna state, Uba Sani to emulate El-Rufa’i by being the primary governor to implement the N70,000 minimal pension.
He additional mentioned staff who retired beneath the contributory pension system had been going through formidable challenges.
“Truthfully, these individuals are going through loads of challenges as a result of a few of them have retired within the final 10 years, and but to attract their advantages.
“It’s actually pathetic, that is occurring in Kaduna and different states. Even beneath the federal authorities, those that retired beneath the contributory pension scheme are struggling as their accruals are but to be remitted into their accounts.”
In response to Musa, as soon as a employee retires, he’s imagined to be positioned on pension inside three months, and receives his lump sum.
Whereas exonerating Pension Fund Directors (PFAs) and Pension Fee (PENCOM) of faults in pension administration, Musa attributed the scenario to the lack of Ministries, Departments and Businesses (MDAs), to remit month-to-month contributions to particular person employee accounts.
“It is because they aren’t remitting the cash as at when due as being anticipated of them,” he bemoaned.
(NAN)