MATTHEW OTOIJAGHA
NORTH-EAST chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has lamented the non-payment of gratuities to its members in the states that make up the region particularly in Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba and Adamawa states by the respective state governments.
The Union in a Press Statement signed and issued to Journalists by its National Vice President in charge of North-East Zone, Alhaji Inuwa Ahmad decried that pensioners in the states are suffering from untold hardships adding that, “and many of them have died without earning their respective references.”
“In view of this issue, we are calling on our pensioners to vote for the government that will favour their demands and not vote for those that are not listening or settling their entitlements,” he urged members.
The NUP Vice President also called for the implementation of the National minimum pension as N30, 000 alongside the recent agreement reached by tripartite committee, saying that whatever is finally approved as the national minimum wage should equally apply to pensioners as a national minimum pension.
“Our request is in line with the provision of sections 173 (3) and 210 (3) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) which clearly states that, ” Pensions should be reviewed every five years or together with any federal Civil service salary review whichever is earlier,” he noted.
While appreciating the efforts of the federal government on behalf of pensioners in the North-East for the release of N22.4 billion to settle pension funds of the defunct Nigerian Airways staff, Inuwa Ahmad appealed to the federal government through the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) to settle the long-awaited balance of 12 months arrears of 33 per cent pension increase of 2010.