Ekiti Retirees Angry, Urge Fayemi to Declare Emergency on Pensions

Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

Sequel to government’s indifference  to pay backlog of pension, gratuity and deduction arrears, the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), Ekiti chapter, has called on Governor Kayode Fayemi, to immediately declare a state of emergency on all pension benefits.

The NUP added that it sounds incredible that the government was owing N37.5 billion gratuity arrears of retirees, saying the N100 million being released monthly to defray the backlog should be jacked up to N500 million to accommodate their needs.

At a press conference in Ado Ekiti, yesterday, the Chairman of NUP, Mr. Joel Akinola, revealed that an aggregate of 587 pensioners are either dead or bedridden in Ekiti due to infirmity suffered as a result of incapacity to get the required treatments for their ailments.

Akinola, who raised concern over enthusiasm displayed by government to pay the severance packages of Fayemi’s sacked aides, urged the governor to pay their benefits alongside in the spirit of equity, justice and fair-play.

In spite of the resentment expressed by the pensioners over unpaid benefits, Akinola, however, applauded Fayemi over regular payment of monthly pension of retirees, saying this had rescued them from turning into beggars.

“In view of the huge gratuity debt owed by government, the union is suggesting that the state government should declare a state of emergency on payment of terminal benefits of pensioner.

“We suggest that the monthly allocation be increased to N500 million, and be made regular. Between now and October, government should do the needful and offer the debt owed our members,” he said.

Akinola said the union had put its lawyers on notice over alleged shabby treatment being meted out to them and that they may resort to litigation if their issues were not resolved expeditiously.

Akinola said: “Can we continue with this hopelessness? No! Some political appointees served for just two or three years and they are about to get their severance allowances. What is our sin?

“We are consulting with our lawyers and they are waiting for us to mandate them to start the process for enforcement of our fundamental rights for prompt payment of all our entitlements in court.

“Payment of gratuity is not a charity or as if we are begging for empowerment. It is a matter of right. We have cried on radio and addressed several press conferences and the government never bothered. Not paying the little we earn is like sentencing us to death.

“We have written to Biodun Oyebanji to congratulate him on his victory and we are patiently waiting for him to be sworn in, so that we can pay him a visit and tell him how serious our matters are.”

Akinola also agitated for upward review of monthly pensions payable to members in accordance with Section 210 (3) of the 1999 constitution, as amended, which stipulated that pensions shall be reviewed every five years.

“We are appealing to the government to implement all the past adjustments of 33 per cent, 16 per cent, 15 per cent and the recent consequential adjustment resulting from the April 2019 Minimum Wage Act. It is embarrassing to say that we have some of our members being paid a monthly pension as low as N4,000.”