- By Nimotalahi Awoniyi
Pensioners have called on the Federal Government to increase their pension.
They said it had become difficult for them to survive on their pension as the removal of the fuel subsidy had worsened things.
They are, however, hopeful that better days were ahead as declared by President Bola Tinubu.
A pensioner, Mr Ojo Olofunlade, a retiree of Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST), said he believes inTinubu’s promises.
He, however, urged the President to improve the economy which will have a triple effect on their take-home.
He said: “With the fuel subsidy removal, pension money is depleted as it cannot put food on the table of many pensioners. It has made transportation so hard that I barely leave my house to do the menial jobs I do after my retirement for upkeep. It is harder with the increase of fuel price.
“If President Tinubu can increase salaries, he should also increase our pension because we voted for him,” he added. A retiree of the Nigeria Railway Cooperation (NRC), Mrs Ajumobi Rebecca, wants her pension to be paid promptly.
She stated that the fuel subsidy had worsened the situation.
Mr Ogunjobi Olaleye, who retired from the Lagos State Public Service, in 2007, said the subsidy removal had hit him hard as he could no longer continue with his business.
Mrs Fagbolade Esther, a pensioner, who retired in 2010 at Eko Boys School, Lagos, said her pension is small. “I think the government should be fair enough to us because we played our roles as citizens and the government should also do theirs,” she stressed.