The Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC) and the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Contributory Pension Scheme (NUPCPS), Lagos State Council, have traded words over what each claims on pension benefit payments.
LASPEC insisted that the state government is meeting its obligations, disbursing entitlements promptly under established procedures, and that many delays cited by pensioners stem from administrative or documentation lapses from retirees.
The union counters that far too many retirees are still waiting long after they should have been paid, citing unresolved arrears, failure to implement statutory adjustments, and a lack of responsiveness from LASPEC.
The Chairman, Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Contributory Pension Scheme, NUPCPS, Lagos State Council, Michael Omisande, insisted that the pension commission was not on the path of truth.
To justify his claims, he provided acknowledgment letters of petitions written to the state Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Lagos State of Assembly on September 17, 2025.
In the letter to the lawmakers, titled, ‘Seeking Intervention Over Untimely Payment Of Retirees Terminal Benefits By NUPCPS’, the group said that pensioners in Lagos State, under the contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) are always appreciative of prompt intervention of the Parliament in matters relating to our welfare.
“Your unwavering support to our cause has enabled the Executive Arm to address issues affecting our survival as Senior Citizens, having worked meritoriously for 35 years. Unfolding events show that we are witnessing a downward trend in the payment of terminal benefits. Mr Speaker, at the last bond presentation held on Monday, September 8, 2025, at Adeyemi Bero Auditorium; out of four thousand retirees on the waiting list for close to two years, less than a thousand were issued bonds.
“It is a negation of the parliamentary resolutions of February 2023, which advocated timely payment of terminal benefits for Lagos State retirees including the establishment of Lagos State Pension Board, which has not been implemented. It is worthy of note that the DG LASPEC escalated to the media in August 2025 that the state government was not indebted to pensioners. The question is how did he come about the number of Pensioners he paid last Monday?
“It is on account of this infraction we are making a clarion call on you sir to step into our predicament. Let the executive arm of government give us on time, the stipend known as bond as many have resorted to begging for survival. Many are in the hospitals and many are dying. The rate at which retirees and pensioners are dying of hunger is alarming in Lagos state. The resources coming to Lagos State are enormous.”
The union, in the letter, also disclosed that retirees from Lagos State University of Education, which requested bailout from the government, have been left unattended to.
In the letter, the union said: “Their hope hangs in the balance. The overtures made to Mr. Governor for a bailout have not yielded results. These retirees have been neglected since 2023. Many of them that are lucky to be alive have turned to something else.”
Similarly, in the petition signed by the Chairman, NUPCPS, Lagos State Council, Omisande, to Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu, titled, ‘Passionate Appeal to Rescue Retirees over Unpaid Terminal Benefits Urgently’, the union applauded the governor for recent approval for the issuance of bonds to retirees in the state’s public service.
The letter further said: “Mr. Governor is, however, invited to note that a handful of retirees benefitted. Statistics reveal that out of four thousand retirees, under your watch, less than one thousand were given bonds by the Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC). The number of bonds beneficiaries in September is far below expectation. These pensioners do not deserve this kind of punishment having served the state meritoriously. They laid the foundation for excellence.
“It is pathetic that the Lagos State University of Education LASUED retirees have cried to you for bailout as their terminal benefits have not been paid from 2023 till date. A series of letters have been sent to you with tears without response. As a caring Chief Executive in the state of excellence, we are making a passionate appeal to you to come to the aid of these Retirees by releasing funds for payments.”
But the Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC), Titi Ajirotutu, maintained that the state commission has been very prompt in processing pension documents and making payment for retirees whose files get to the commission.
She claimed that any delay in the payment of its retirement benefits and pension is not from the commission. She added that most of those waiting are retirees having issues with clearance or failure to commence their document early.
According to her, many of the retirees yet to get their benefits have not been cleared in their respective MDAs because they either have not paid their loans among other issues.
She further said that many rather than commence the process for the payment of their retirement benefits six months to retire, many would wait till months after they have left service and would be blaming the commission for the delay.
