Pensioners lament non-inclusion in salary review panel

Seek N25,000 pension minimum wage  
The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has decried its non-inclusion in the tripartite national minimum wage review committee headed by Mrs Amal Pepple.  Speaking in Abuja at the 2017 edition of Pensioners Day, NUP President, Dr Abel Afolayan expressed displeasure on the non-inclusion of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners in the Minimum Wage Review Committee recently inaugurated despite its many requests to the Federal Government to be included in the negotiation team. 

While requesting upwards review of minimum pension to N25,000 per month, the national umbrella body of pensioners also lamented that despite the rising cost of living, there are pensioners that earn as little as N10, 000 monthly. 

On the payment of the outstanding 12 months of 33 per cent pension increase to civil pensioners, and 18 months to the police pensioners and other parastatals, Afolayan appealed to the Federal Government to ensure that funds are released to offset the arrears before the end of the year.

He said: “I humbly appeal to government to make pension payable from first line charge and ensure that pensioners are paid before serving workers that is on or before 25th of every month“I must thank the Federal Government profoundly for paying the monthly pensions of federal pensioners regularly. I humbly appeal, however for finding a way of clearing the backlog of pension arrears owed the core civil service pensioners and the parastatals. I wish to especially plead with federal government that sufficient funding be released to pay all the verified, captured and pay rolled pensioners after the end of verification exercises. We note with satisfaction and gratitude that payments are being made to some verified pensioners in some states.”

In his address, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mustapha Boss said President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to improving the welfare of pensioners in the country.