The Nigeria Union of Pensioners has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to consider the payment of N25,000 as uniform minimum pension to retired civil servants in the country.
National President of the Union, Dr. Abel Afolayan, made the plea yesterday at press conference in Lafia, Nasarawa state.
Afolayan, who was represented by the North central vice chairman of the union, Chief Joseph Ajayi, said the approval of the national minimum wage for workers should also be applicable to pensioners.
“The situation now where different minimum pension is being paid to pensioners should be addressed. Many pensioners under the defined benefit scheme receive less than N10, 000 monthly. This cannot be regarded as minimum pension and with the present economic situation we believe that no pensioner should receive less than N25, 000 per month”.
He appealed to President Buhari to make a case for state pensioners with the governors at the National Council of States meeting pointing out that the plight of state pensioners’ required serious attention saying “In many states, pensioners are owed gratuities and pension running into several months and years. Most states have also not complied with the constitutional provision of reviewing pension after every five years”.
Meanwhile, pensioners in Katsina state are paid about N2,000 naira as monthly pension due to noncompliance of the state government with constitutional provision of pension law as reviewed, the state chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Mahmud Balarabe has said.
Speaking at a press conference, Balarabe said section 173 (3) and 210 (3) of the 1999 constitution as amended, provides that pension shall be reviewed every five years or together with any Federal Civil Service salary review however the state government has failed to comply.
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