The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) South-West Zone on Thursday lamented the failure of the government to implement the N32,000 pension increase across board for the pensioners as directed by President Bola Tinubu last year September.
President Tinubu was said to have given the directive at the commencement of payment of 70,000 new minimum wage to also ensure that the pensioners were not excluded.
The Public Relations Officer of the union, Dr. Olusegun Abatan raised this concern while addressing the press during the zonal meeting of the pensioners held in Abeokuta on Thursday.
Abatan said that among the six South-West states, only Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has implemented a part of this pension increase, paying N17,500.
He explained that Makinde has also implemented the 33 per cent pension increase of 2020, the 20 per cent pension increase of January 2024, and raised the minimum paid for pensioners in the state to N25,000.
Abatan said the Oyo government has equally completed plans to be paying N2bn every month for payment of pensions and gratuities adding that this kind gesture has brought lots of reliefs for the pensioners in the state.
The pensioners spokesman has therefore called on other state governments to follow the good example of Governor Makinde and prioritize making life more rewarding for the pensioners in their old age.
He disclosed that “The are two circulars from the office of income and wages in 2024, the first one being a 20 per cent pension increase from January 2024, which has not been done by virtually all the state governments except Oyo State.
“In September 2024, the Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu, also gave a directive for the pensioners to have N32,000 added across board to their pensions based on the new minimum wage of N70,000.
“I, however regret to tell you that many of our states in the Southwestern have not done this. At the same time we want to thank the Governor of Oyo State for raising the minimum wage for pensioners to 25,000 and for factoring other pension increases such as the 33%, consequential adjustments of 2019, 20% of January 2024 pension increase, though he did not pay N32,000 as directed by Mr President but he gave us N17,500.
“The pensioners in Oyo State have had a serious leap from their pensions that I make bold to say that the Oyo State pensioners are the highest paid in the federation aside from the federal pensioners. We thank him for this.
“Regrettably, the Federal Government that said the N32,000 should be given to the pensioners across board has also not implemented fully this directive, so we are appealing to the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate to please get this implemented for the retired workers”.
Abatan also begged for the Federal Government’s intervention over the inability of pensioners banking with the failed Heritage Bank to access their funds for the past one and a half year.
The pensioners’ leader said that this unfortunate incident has brought lots of anguish and agony to the affected members of their association.
Abatan also praised the Southwestern government for its support for the pensioners and urged them to attend to their other demands.
The PUNCH
