Edo pensioners call for implementation of 15% increase

Pensioners in Edo State have appealed to the state government to commence the implementation of the six and 15 per cent increase in pension of retired civil servants.

hey made this appeal in Benin City, the state capital, at the Quadrennial State‎ Delegates Conference of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), where new executive council members were elected.

The Chairman of the union, Ikponmwosa Omoragbon said the state government, had in a meeting with the union in December, 2013, agreed to pay the pension raise to affected pensioners.

He said that the government had also agreed to commence the payment in April, 2014, among other demands but lamented that the ageing retirees were yet to get the increase. He said other pensioners in over 30 states had received.

However, he commended the ‎state governor for the “prompt payment” of pensioners’ monthly pension” when, according to him, some states were “owing their pensioners up to three months or more.”

On his part, State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Emma Ademokun, who was represented by his deputy, Bashiru Kadiri, assured the pensioners that the union would continue to prioritise the payment of pension arrears and ‎gratuities in the state and urged them not to relent in the struggle for the payment of ‎their constitutional entitlements.