A group, the Concerned Federal Civil Service Pensioners Stakeholders, has called for instant cancellation of the upcoming National Delegates Conference of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP).
It demanded the immediate dissolution of the union and appointment of a sole administrator to take charge of its operations, citing alleged persistent mistreatment, exclusion, and manipulation of its members.
The Secretary, Ejaife William, made the demands at a press conference in Abuja yesterday. The Guardian reports that the association is a pressure group under the NUP.
While claiming that the union is the bane of the numerous problems of pensioners, William alleged that the April 14 and 15 conference excluded Federal Civil Service pensioners as delegates.
The situation, he argued, raises questions about the union’s ability to effectively represent and serve its members. William said: “There is no pensioner working at the NUP headquarters. The entire workforce in that office are mere employees of the pensioners’ union. This is so because the NUP does not want us pensioners to be in charge of our affairs. This act is ridiculous because these persons working for us have little or no knowledge about the plight and yearnings of pensioners.
“The NUP is in the habit of setting confusion in our sector through the conduct of elections. This they do by divide and rule tactics as they always set elderly persons (pensioners) against each other. They handpick stooges from our sector (FCSPB) to superintend over the affairs of our sector.
This mischievous act by NUP has been on for decades. They spend our money with a few selected persons from our sector to satisfy their greed and interest.”
To save pensioners during the rainy days, Citizens Pensions Limited, yesterday, canvassed a pension system that treats senior citizens with dignity.
The management made the advocacy during the company’s launch in Lagos. It noted that the global pension landscape was evolving rapidly, adding that across continents, concerted efforts to harness technology, streamline operations, and place customer experience at the core of service delivery were being harnessed.
The firm noted that while the Nigerian pension sector has grown significantly since the introduction of the contributory pension scheme in 2004, the penetration remains very low to secure the financial future of millions.
According to recent reports, a large portion of the workforce remains outside the formal pension system, hence a call to action. To bridge the gap, the firm said it was stepping into the space with a clear mission to provide retirement solutions that empower individuals and institutions to achieve their long-term financial goals and ensure a comfortable and dignified retirement for all.
Chairman of Citizens Pensions Limited, Chuks Onwuchekwa, said the ceremony was beyond unveiling just a company; it was a bold vision for the future of pensions in the country. He explained that the company was born to redefine what it means to plan for retirement, leveraging technological innovation, and a commitment to world-class service.
The MD/CEO, Helen Da-Souza, said: “We aspire to promote financial inclusion and empower individuals from all walks of life to take control of their financial future.
“We have embarked on this business as a catalyst for change, and it would encompass a diverse range of workers – artisans, market traders, small-scale entrepreneurs, subsistence farmers, and self-employed individuals who despite being the backbone of Nigeria’s economy -have historically been under-served by financial institutions.”
Also, Director-General of the National Pension Commission (Pencom), Omolola Oloworaran, explained: “On February 25, 2025, the Pencom granted Citizens Pensions Limited a licence to operate as a Pension Fund Administrator (PFA), bringing the total number of licensed PFAs in Nigeria to 19.”
