The Nigeria Union of Pensioners has appealed to the Federal Government to pay the December 2016 pensions to its members.
In a statement signed by the Chairman, NUP (Federal Branch) Lagos, Dele Joseph, the union also urged the government to pay the arrears of 53.4 per cent increase in their pensions, which was slashed to 33 per cent.
He observed that some banks had released the payment of December pensions while majority of the banks had not done so.
“The NUP (Federal branch) in Lagos wishes to appeal to the Federal Government to please release the December 2016 pensions to pensioners,” he said.
He wondered why funds were released in piece meal and sought to know if it was the body responsible for disbursing the funds that was not doing the needful.
Joseph complained that the anomaly had become a monthly occurrence, adding that the haphazard payment of pensions was not justifiable.
He said, “Imagine the harrowing experience these senior citizens passed through during Christmas and the New Year when they could not receive their legitimate earnings.”
The chairman said the government should urgently take action to improve the living conditions of Nigerian retirees.
He said, “We equally want to draw the attention of the Federal Government to the 18 months of 33 per cent arrears left to be cleared. You may wish to know that the actual percentage due to pensioners is 53.4 per cent but was unjustifiably slashed to 33 per cent.”
The union chairman appealed to the Federal Government to revisit the 20.4 per cent balance.
He said, “We want to appeal that the general verification of federal pensioners in Lagos State should take place without any further delay as this shall put a stop to numerous problems being faced by pensioners such as payment to ghost pensioners, non inclusion of genuine retirees on the payroll, short payment and many others.
“We humbly hope that the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari will see to the yearnings of the senior citizens of this country.”
