Pensioners demand inclusion in FG’s proposed palliatives

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has urged the Federal Government to include its members in the proposed palliatives to cushion the economic hardship of the removal of fuel subsidy.

The NUP President, Godwin Abumisi, said this at a news conference on Monday in Abuja.

Abumisi, while commending government for the removal of subsidy, said that the inclusion in the proposed palliatives was imperative due to the vulnerability of its members.

According to him, as the Tinubu administration should not forget them as it unfolds plans to cushion the economic hardship that the removal of the fuel subsidy has brought upon the people of Nigeria.

“The NUP wishes to categorically state and remind the Federal Government that pensioners must be included in the planned palliatives package, being one of the low-income earners in the country.

“There is no gainsaying that the removal of the fuel subsidy has further impoverished and pauperised the vulnerable Nigeria pensioners like other vulnerable group of persons in our society who are always struggling and battling for survival.

“We believe that if the proposed palliatives are religiously implemented to the letter on record time devoid of the usual bureaucratic bottlenecks, it will go a long way to calm down frayed nerves of the obvious angry Nigerians,” he said.

He however suggested that for government to achieve its objective of the cash transfer to the poor, it must consider the involvement and participation of organised unions/associations.

He said that the unions/associations would have the records/statistics (data base) of their members resident in both urban and rural areas.

He also added that, most especially the NUP, market women organisations, the physically challenged persons and other professional bodies would have such database.

“The leaders of the unions/bodies who are very visible could be easily held responsible and accountable in the event of any infractions or shortchanging of their members in accessing such funds.

“Pensioners across board must also be considered for the proposed six months tax-free payment to public servants for six months as well as the payment of all outstanding liabilities to public/civil servants,” he said.

Abumisi further said that the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) pensioners under PTAD were being owed various pension liabilities, including the 2015 pension increment which the union has been consistently pressing for its payment but to no avail.

The NUP president also noted that its members under the Contributory (Mandatory) Pension Scheme have been short-changed of the 15 per cent of the 2007 pension review.

He said that 33 per cent of the 2010 pension review was also short changed, while there was an omission of 2015 pension review and the consequential adjustment of 2019.

“We believe whole-heartedly that if the above pension reviews are paid to our members as part of the proposed palliatives, it will go a long way to ameliorate the living conditions of our members,” he said

He therefore called on the federal government to ensure that whenever there is an upward review of salaries of the Civil Servants, pensions should be reviewed alongside in the same circular.

“This practice must be stopped as pensioners are workers in retirement, who are also entitle to decent living conditions in line with the popular saying that “what is good for the goose is also good for the gander”.

“We also call on the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress to always carry NUP along in the negotiation for any salary for workers in the country.

He also called on the leaderships of all State Councils to  ensure that the matter of the palliatives package with their various State Governments must include the pensioners.