NPA Retirees Appeal to AGF to Obey Supreme Court Judgement, Pay their N108bn Pension Arrears

Wale Igbintade

Retirees of the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) have sent a distress signal to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, lamenting that they are currently living in abject poverty and untold hardship.

Speaking through their chairman, Engr. Gabriel Shotunde, the retirees pleaded with the Attorney General of the Federation to comply with the Supreme Court judgement which had authorised payment of their pension and gratuity to the tune of about N108 billion.

The retirees who bowed out of service in 1991, urged the minister to save their soul, saying they were living in abject poverty, untold hardship and rising death of their members who lacked funds to manage their health conditions.

Shotunde, while speaking to newsmen, said the Supreme Court judgment in a suit number SC/190/2003 dated May 11, 2007, had affirmed the decision of the Lagos State High Court in suit number LD/1827/92, that the plaintiff who served the NPA up to 5 years were entitled to gratuity of one year total emoluments.

He said “The Supreme Court judgement also held that the plaintiff who served above 10 years are entitled to pension and redundancy benefit under the Pension Act 1990.

“Despite getting the landmark judgement from the apex court, the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service and the Attorney-General before Malami, have failed to comply with the judgement and paid their benefits.

“Some cabinet members of the NPA, who see themselves above the law are also truncating the final decision of the apex court and have made it difficult for us to get our benefits after serving meritoriously.”

Shotunde further said the NPA’s consistent claim of compliance with the Supreme Court judgement was full of contradictions and deceit