The Nigeria union of pensioners (NUP) Electricity sector Abuja chapter had recently staged a protest for non-payment of their monthly pension and other entitlement.
The protest which commenced as earlier as 9.35 in he morning in the front of Nigeria Electricity liability management limited (NELMCO) Office in Abuja, also carried placards. Some of the placards read thus-: PHCN retirees are suffering, Federal government pay us our money, Remove us from capital budget, Pay us our gratuity, Our men are dying etc.
Addressing the protesters, the Managing Director/ Chief Executive (NELMCO), Dr Samuel Agbogun pleaded with the protesting pensioners to be patient and give them time, saying that as soon as they are funded by the Federal Ministry of Finance, they will effect payment immediately. He added that, voucher has already been prepared, amounting to 1.228 billion naira for payment for the month of April 2014 alone, pointing out that, other entitlements are being looked into and that, NELMCO will tidy all outstanding of pensioners and as soon as the fund is made available we will pay everything before the pensioners will be Transfer to Pension Transitional Arrangement Department (PTAD) in August this year.
In a two separate letters, Grievances and an Open letter to the minister of finance and coordinating minister Economic and chairman Board of Nigeria Electricity Liability management (NELMCO) Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, signed by the National president, Nigeria union of pensioners (NUP)Electricity sector, Chief Temple Chinyere Ubani and its Secretary, Comrade Olukayode Ogunbiyi, made available to *Blueprint* said, available records shows that, over 5,000 former employees who existed by retirement and or death, are still owed their terminal benefits of gratuities, monetization arrears of pension. According to them, between 2010 and 2013, Federal government of Nigeria engaged pensioners in protracted negotiation which culminated in the signing of agreement on some issues raised by Nigeria union of pensioners (Electricity sector), in may 2012, which some less controversial unresolved matters were carried over to NELMCO for final resolution.
They maintained that, the minister of power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo had on several occasion announced that, the sum of N16 billion had been approved and set aside for payment of retirees outstanding benefits, but up till now nothing has been done in some areas they are fighting for now. They also blamed government of failure to appropriately classifying NELMCO pension fund for under the service wide vote (SWV) instead of the capital supplementation where it has been wrongly domiciled.
