THE LAWMAKER, representing Makurdi South in the Benue House of Assembly, Hon. Douglas Akya, has expressed dissatisfaction over the meagre monthly pensions paid to retired Benue workers.
Akya made the remark in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Makurdi on Friday. He said that the current monthly pension was not only inadequate but also demeaning, considering the sacrifice and contributions of the state’s senior citizens.
“Some of them receive as little as N2,000 and N4,600 monthly,” he said, describing the figure as “an insult to their decades of service”. Such stipends, he said, could not meet even the most least essential needs, leaving many retirees in a state of extreme hardship.
Akya said that he decided to sponsor a bill aimed at providing pensioners with a new lease of life. According to him, the proposed legislation seeks to review and significantly increase pension amount, in line with current economic realities and cost-of-living demands.
“The Benue House of Assembly had already demonstrated empathy toward the plight of pensioners. The house resolved to give the bill the necessary attention to ensure its swift passage. The bill has already been read the second time.
“I am confident that Gov. Hyacinth Alia would assent to it without delay once it passed through the legislative process,” he said, adding that the bill was in line with the governor’s commitment to the welfare of the citizenry.
He added that improving pension payments was not just a matter of financial adjustment but also one of justice, dignity, and social responsibility.
Akya emphasised that those who had served the state faithfully for decades deserved to retire in comfort, not in poverty.
He also urged other stakeholders, including labour unions, civil society organisations, and community leaders, to support the bill, saying that collective advocacy would ensure that pension reform became a reality in the state. (NAN)
