The Nigerian Union of Pensioners( NUP) has vowed to mobilise its members against politicians that do not have good programmes towards the welfare and well-being of its members in elections ahead across the country.
The South-West Zonal Public Relations Officer ( PRO) of NUP, Dr. Olusegun Abatan, stated this in a communique after the South-West Zonal Council meeting of the union on Thursday in Akure and hosted by the Ondo State Council of the NUP.
Abatan said that pensioners had suffered too long being denied of their gratuities and pensions, hence the union had resolution to be firm in its decision to support only politicians that would cater for union’s betterment.
“The political firmament has been suffused by a lot of criss crossing and shenanigans all over the place. We want to appeal to pensioners to please keep calm and watch the events as they unfold.
“What we are going to do when it comes to elections, we will inform our members. We shall not vote into office whether it’s for second term or first term, those who will not cater for our members’ welfare and well-being,” he said.
The NUP PRO, who described the current minimum wage in the country as a disaster, said that the Federal Government took the advantage of the naivety of the labour unions to ravage the Nigerian workers and by extension pensioners.
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According to him, it is not too much if the nation’s minimum wage is pegged at N 1million as being proposed by some labour leaders considering the present economic realities.
He added that one of the NUP’s resolutions was to negotiate for at least 80 per cent of the minimum wage to be earned as minimum pension for pensioners when the minimum wage would be reviewed.
Abatan, therefore, condemned the non payment of backlog of gratuity arrears of retirees in Ondo State.
“Also, it is not gratified to inform you that Ondo State, where people are saying that: “Aiye ti datiwa”, we are having a different thing in Ondo State. As I speak to you, 2013 gratuities of retirees are the benchmark that are being paid by this government.
“ Pensioners that retired in 2013 are just getting their gratuities in Ondo State and i am talking of local government pensioners and for state pensioners, it is only 2016 pensioners that are just getting theirs.
“This is not fair enough for those that have served the state meritoriously and for those who have one ailment or the other, government apparatus does not know that pensioners should get their dues as at when due.
“We also appeal to the Ondo State Government led by Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa to look into this and before the end of this month, we want to hear good news,” he said.
Similarly, Abatan, however, expressed sadness towards the disposition of Gov. Abiodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State towards pensioners’ welfare and wellbeing, decrying the payment
“It is, however, saddening that the Ekiti State governor has not been forthcoming in the payment of arrears of pension of our people. Ekiti State government has been a paltry of N100 million as gratuities of pensions and it is not regular,” he said.
The NUP PRO said that the union felt disappointed at the registration of another union by the government for pensioners in Ekiti, describing such union as illegal and dead at arrival.
“It’s the only NUP that is recognized by law and any other organisation is an aberration. It saddens us that the Ekiti State Government has registered an amorphous and illegal association in Ekiti called Pensioners Association of Nigeria ( PAN).
“There is no other state that you can see this organization and it’s not backed by law and unfortunately this move has led to the state government not to pay NUP members their check up dues. These are dues paid by pensioners to their union.
“So, we appeal to Governor Oyebanji to release the check-up dues of NUP, Ekiti State Council and unwind illegal association that the government has put in place,” he appealed.
He, however, appreciated Gov. Dayo Abiodun of Ogun State for releasing a sum of N8.8 billion as pensioners’ gratuity arrears.
“I want to seize this opportunity on behalf of the south-west pensioners to appreciate Prince Dapo Abiodun, the Governor of Ogun State for what he did for pensioners in the last two months.
“He paid N8.8 billion in the last two months as gratuity arrears to pensioners. And not only that, he also gave pilgrimage slots to some of pensioners,” he said.
Abatan also expressed appreciation to the Oyo State governor by paying over N2billion to pensioners as their gratuity arrears and pension every month in the state.
The PRO enjoined pensioners that were using defunct Heritage Bank and as a result of that, they could not be paid their gratuities and pensions to exercise more patience, stating that the problem had been resolved and that they would be paid in the next few weeks.
