SIR: Life in retirement is supposed to be good as it is a time of comfort, peace and rest. For those of us who were privileged to occupy enviable positions or postings, it is indeed an end to malicious attacks, bitter envy and jealousy, destructive falsehood; it could be a cherished respite from boisterous and fastidious over-lording principals (in respect of unity colleges), money-seeking auditors, stock-verifiers and inspectors.
Also, some of us who had early retirement could venture into new careers, business opportunities and having the rare honour of being in control of one’s time and destiny.
An average civil servant is overwhelmed with the fear of retirement. How could one cope without earning a salary when there is a myriad of commitments: family commitments of feeding, paying children’s school fees and other bills; the community commitments of paying security and development levies and the church commitments of having enough money to attend programmes and remaining a faithful worker in God’s vineyard?
Painfully, the fear has been aggravated by the deadly conspiracy of delay by National Pension Commission Pension (PenCom), Pension Funds Administrators (PFAs) and some of their dishonest staff in releasing the retirement entitlements: “accrued rights”, gratuities and pensions. This delay is wicked and callous as it has caused untimely death of many retirees.
It is, unequivocally, a conspiracy as it is alleged that the delay is deliberate. It is aimed at sending retirees to their early graves so that these perpetrators would have possession of their gratuities and pensions.
July 1, was exactly one year that my colleagues and I retired from the Federal Civil Service. We are still expecting our gratuities and pensions. One year of waiting and we are still counting! Sad, very sad!
How would these authorities explain this abysmal negligence? This conspiracy has not just started. Nigeria has been like this for years; a failed state. Things were equally bad under the People Democratic Party (PDP) led administration. People have argued that the All Progressives Congress (APC) led government should have taken proactive and drastic measures to correct these anomalies. They argue further that one expects the situation to change for the better since APC promised change.
One keeps on wondering; for how long would things continue this way? Who will take the bull by the horn to rescue the dying retirees? The APC-led government should bring the promised change to fruition. Prompt payment of retirement benefits is not negotiable. It is a responsibility that must be performed with dignity, integrity and alacrity. This mess must stop. The time is now.
- Vincent Akindele, Ibadan.
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