NITEL Pensioners Lament Delay in Payment of Housing Loan, Pension

Sunday Okobi

Retirees and pensioners of the NITEL/MTEL has decried the alleged refusal/delay of the Federal Mortgage Bank in Abuja to give them their housing loans which they said was deducted from their salaries while actively working as staff of the company.

In a statement signed and made available to THISDAY on behalf of the pensioners by former Senior Officer 1 (Technologist) of NITEL, Mr. Samuel Urubusi, who is also a retired staff, the retirees expressed anger over non-payment of housing funds as well as their pension arrears.

He stated that about 3,000 out of 11,000 retirees of NITEL/MTEL got their housing funds, while others are still waiting for theirs; querying why some retirees got their refunds, and others are yet to get theirs.

He added that PTAD is yet to release the 83 months’ pension arrears to NITEL/MTEL retirees despite it being captured in the 2020 budget, while other companies like NICON Insurance, Nigerian airways among others have been paid since 2019.

“We are, therefore, appealing for the urgent intervention of the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, who is also a former NITEL staff and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in this matter in order to save the lives of pensioners and their families due to the non-payment of housing funds accrued pension arrears and delay in payment of our monthly pension,” the statement said.