The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has appealed to state governors to settle outstanding gratuities owed to its members and to review pension after every five years or where there is increase in the salaries of civil servants with a view to improving their plights.
National Vice President, north east zone of the union Alhaji Muhammad Inuwa Ahmad made the appeal in a press release issued to Journalists Monday in Bauchi where he said that pensioners who rendered selfless services to their states and country need to be well treated by the government.
“As elderly citizens, pensioners remained focused on the major political promises done by their respective leaders most especially governors during the recent general elections. Though, it is our civic right to be part of the juicy democratic system, we emanate confidence on major of their promises, as known to all and sundry, our prayers are settlement of all gratuity and pension arrears and upward review of monthly pension every five years or where there is increase in salary and wages to civil servants whichever comes earlier.
“The issue of gratuity and pension arrears has started to move a step forward in many of the north eastern states, as the Bauchi state government under Bala Mohammed has placed his positive giant strides on the Bauchi state pensioners, 100 million naira was duly paid on august and subsequently 200 million naira was also paid on september 2019 to both local government and state pensioners with confined expectations of getting higher than the previous payments every month.
“Governor Babagana Umar Zulum of Borno state has also made good attempt by paying one billion naira on july/ August to the Borno state pensioners , thus, this implies his kind acts toward addressing pensioners’ plight.
“In the same vein, Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe state has paid one billion and one hundred Million to state pensioners which we hope the same to the local government pensioners, and there is a reliable hope that more will be paid in subsequent months which we find embraced and thankful.
“In another development, Governor Mai- Mala Buni of yobe state has paid six hundred Million to settle the backlog of gratuity, hence he has been a good succesor of Governor Gaidam which Nigerian pensioners recommend him to be their most friendly governor.” The statement reads.
While thanking the aforementioned governors for reducing gratuity debts in their state, Ahmad however lamented that Adamawa and Taraba states pensioners were still not paid their gratuities hoping that the governors would act on that soonest.
” Lastly, we are calling on government at all levels to frame a reliable blueprint for the development of the teeming Nigerian pensioners. Thus, this will be done by upward review of monthly pension as many pensioners in Nigeria receive as low as N3,000 , hence we will not remain on our toes untill section 173(3) and section 210 of the 1999 constitution as amended which states that “pension must be reviewed every five years or together with any increase in civil servants salary whichever comes earlier” is being immediately put in place.” He said.
