Federal pensioners protest in Abeokuta

Pensioners of the Federal Government in Ogun State yesterday staged a protest over the non-payment of their pensions since May.

Carrying placards with different inscriptions like: ‘Federal Government stop killing us intermittently’, ‘Senior Citizens Do Not Deserve Punishment’, ‘Do not send us to untimely death’ and ‘E-Payment should not be our bane’ among others, the pensioners later addressed a press conference at the Iwe Iroyin press centre in Abeokuta, the state capital.

The chairperson of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Balogun Joseph Ojo said: “This press conference was organised in order to let the nation know the plight of pensioners with federal share of pension in Ogun State in particular and in Nigeria in general.”

Mr. Joseph added that since 2002 when the Federal Government assumed responsibility of paying directly from Abuja, the payment had been irregular, which had resulted in an unpaid arrears of six months.

The spokesperson faulted the payment mode, saying it was messy, and that “it is indeed unfortunate that pensioners in Nigeria should continue to suffer untold hardship after many years of meritorious service to the nation. Pensioners have no other means of livelihood; hence, they should receive their pension regularly.”