Pensioners say pay review delay violates constitution

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) in Akure, Ondo State, on Tuesday accused the Federal Government of violating the nation’s constitution by failing to implement the pension review agreement signed seven years ago.

While addressing a news conference, the state chairperson of the union, Eni Olotu, said successive administrations in the country, including that of former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, contravened section 173, sub-section three of the nation’s constitution by not reviewing the pensioners’ salary alongside the federal civil service salary review.

Mr. Olotu who quoted copiously from the constitution, said: “section 173, sub section 3 of the 1999 constitution, stipulate that pension shall be reviewed every five years together with any federal civil service salary review.”

He also accused some banks of colluding with consultants employed by the Federal Government to swindle salaries of pensioners.

He added that some banks often fail to ensure regular remittance of payment to the pensioners’ account since May 2009, while others, he said, under-pay his members.

Mr. Olotu deplored the late release of pensions lodgment to individual accounts of pensioners, adding that the unpaid pensions of those whose names were omitted in 2002 are yet to be paid. “Our members are really suffering because of Federal Government’s insensitivity to our plights,” he said.

“Some of our members who have children in primary schools cannot pay their school fees, let alone those who are in the universities. We are languishing in penury, with one leg in the grave.”

He called on President Umar Yar’Adua, the Senate President, David Mark, the Speaker of the House, Dimeji Bankole, as well as state governors, to rescue pensioners form the hardship they are currently experiencing due to government’s failure to pay their arrears in time.

Several groups of pensioners have regularly staged protests to draw government’s attention to their plight.

Elders are protesting

Just last month, the railways section of the NUP took to the streets of Abuja. The elderly retirees were asking for an immediate payment of over N70 billion they claimed were owed them by the Nigerian Railway Corporation in pension arrears.

The protesters also said they were moved to stage the protest after several of their members died while fighting to get their benefits.