The national president of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Dr. Abel Afolayan, on Tuesday said he has been reassured by the Acting Chairman of the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, Mr. Ekpo Nta, that pensioners across the country would also benefit from the new national minimum wage.
Daily Trust reports that the new minimum wage bill was recently signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari few months ago.
Speaking at the National Executive Council meeting of the union in Ibadan, Oyo State Dr. Afolayan said Mr. Nta had assured them that the circular would be released soon.
“The Federal Government and the organized labour finally signed the agreement on minimum wage and the attendant adjustment for all categories of workers. The next in line is the pensioners.
“I know all of you are very agitated to know how far we have gone on this matter, especially when it has become a common knowledge that pensioners are already due for a review since 2015, having last enjoyed a meagre 33.4% increment since July, 2010.
“After several attempts, on Thursday 31 October 2019, as many of you might have seen and read in the media, we were able to sit together at a meeting with the Chairman, Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, Mr. Ekpo Nta.
“The chairman assured us that the circular for the wage increase will be issued simultaneously with the workers, having tabled the issues together at the tripartite negotiation meeting where the agreement on Minimum Wage was reached.
“We are together with the NLC on this struggle for the Minimum Pension and we were told to wait for the official release of the much-expected circular for the workers, then we shall pick it up from there. I want to assure you that definitely, there shall be light at the end of the tunnel.”
“On this note, I implore you to please take this message of hope to all our pensioners in your respective states. If we could not get the minimum pension this time, one thing is sure, the corresponding pension increment will not elude us.”
In his remark at the meeting, Oyo state governor, Seyi Makinde, who was represented by his Commissioner for Education, Prof. Daud Sangodoyin hinted that his government had in September 3, 2019 approved the sum of N1.4billion to settle gratuities of Primary schools teachers and local government workers in the state.
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