By Nana Musa
THE NIGERIA Union of Pensioners Contributory Pension Scheme Sector (NUPCPS) has appealed to the federal government to pay all the accrued rights and pension increments to retirees.
The National Chairman of the Union, Mr Sylva Nwaiwu, made the appeal on Thursday during a peaceful protest organised by the union to the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) in Abuja.
“If all the releases from 2024 budget for the payment of accrued right and pension increments to retirees under the National Pension Commission (PenCom) are not cash-backed for their immediate payment between Jan. 23 to Jan. 29, members of the union shall have no choice than to make your office their new home.
“We have just submitted our letters to the two offices, if our conditions are not reached, our next line of action is to turn the whole of this premises to our residence until the Accountant General releases funds for the payment of entitlements,” Nwaiwu said.
Also, the union’s National Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr Etheleert Ibeh, urged the government to pay all the increment being owed.
According to him, the Nigerian constitution stipulates that anytime there is increase in salary of workers, pensioners must also be included.
“The increment approved by the president for all retirees is N32, 000 every month.
“That is to say, if I am receiving N40,000 a month as stipend and you add the N32,000, the sum is what I should now be receiving, but the authorities meant to do this have denied us.
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“I contributed to help government to pay me, but when I retired since 2016, I have not received any increment.
“After working hard, if I knew I would suffer like this, I would not have given them the services I gave them,” Ibeh said.
Earlier, the Director of Funds in OAGF, Dr James Abraka, said the ministry was working on the union’s request.
“Please give us more time, we promise to get back to your union soon,” he said. (NAN)
