Pensioners seek health insurance scheme, gratuity

Retirees have called on the Federal Government to initiate a health insurance scheme for pensioners.

The retirees, who are under the aegis of the Concerned Federal Pensioners, equally urged the Federal Government to ensure that the gratuity of pensioners is timely paid, especially for those, who are yet to collect the same.

Vice Chairman of Concerned Federal Pensioners, Akinyele Oludimu, said this as part of his expectations for the association in the New Year.

He called on the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) to ensure that every eligible pensioner is put on the payroll .

“My expectations this year are for every eligible pensioner to be put on the payroll, out¬standing arrears to be paid promptly, and gratuity of pensioners should be paid, especially for those, who are yet to collect the same.

“Health Insurance Scheme for Pensioners should be looked into. The minimum wage approved by Mr President for pensioners should be implemented without further delay,” he said.

He noted that PTAD had commenced the payment of the N32,000 pension increment approved by the Federal Government, which was backdated to July 29, 2024.

“PTAD commenced the payment of the N32,000 by paying four months’ arrears instead of six months. Please, let’s put pressure on them to release the balance of two months,” he said.

It would be recalled that the Executive Secretary of the PTAD, Tolulope Odunaiya, in December 2023, announced plans to implement the approved N32,000 pension increment for pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme. It was backdated to July 2024.

Odunaiya, while speaking at the National Executive Meeting of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners in Abuja, assured pensioners that PTAD is finalising plans to pay accrued arrears resulting from the increment.

Odunaiya explained that these payments would increase PTAD’s monthly payroll to N5.3 billion and the annual payroll to N63.6 billion.

She assured pensioners that the accrued arrears related to the N32,000 pension increment would be cleared by the New Year.