The lives of our senior citizens have always won on rhetoric. When implementation beckons, words do not translate into action. So, millions of men and women who have toiled in the precious years of their lives to improve this country face the reality of hunger, ill-funded health care, poor housing, deprivation, and they see death coming like the ticking of a clock.
Their fate is no encouragement to the young and vibrant. They face the prospect of a dire old age. The pension schemes that should serve as relief have been failing. According to the report on the first quarter of this year, only five states of the federation have been faithful in remittances under the 2014 Pensions Reform Act. It requires states that have signed on to pay 10 percent of the salaries to the scheme while deducting 7.5 percent of the salaries.
Of the 36 states in the federation, only 25 have even signed on to the arrangement. But 20 do not apply their hearts to it. The five that have been conscientious are Lagos, Osun, Kaduna and Delta, as well as the Federal Capital Territory.
According to the executive director of the Centre for Pension Right Advocacy (CPRA), Mr. Ivor Takor, “The governors, past and present of the affected states, have demonstrably shown that they have no regard for the provisions of extant labour laws.
“Moreover, they ran, and continue to run, their states in grave violation or breach of the provisions of the constitution of the country, which they swore to uphold.”
If only five states adhere, it portends great suffering for millions who now live their hoary years waiting for Godot. The PenCom records show that some states pay the ten percent but do not remit the 7.5 percent. Some remit 7.5 percent but do not pay the 10 percent. Others do neither. Some other states have amended their schemes but have fallen short of implementing them.
A few states have not had the fortitude to move the project from the bill stage, and are temporizing to save money or tease their old citizens. They include Kwara, Plateau, Cross River, Borno, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Katsina and Yobe. But Kebbi and Rivers States only remit employees’ contributions. States like Kano, Jigawa, Gombe and Zamfara have their own schemes, and although they are accountable to themselves, they do not account.
Former head of corporate affairs of PenCom, Peter Aghaghowa, said: “The implementation of pension in states is a different kettle of fish because of the autonomy they have over it. This is unlike what is obtainable in the federal pension scheme where we have a tight grip on.”
Month after month, headlines sully newspapers with reports of pensioners either fainting on long queues or waiting on end for money that they are not sure to receive.
But it will not be simplistic to say the governors are indifferent and do not want to pay. They have other priorities owing to scarce resources. But that is not an excuse. It is a failure of imagination and inability to prioritise.
The larger society, too, has done little to mount pressure on state executives. Some of the states are struggling to pay their salaries and believe that it is better to pay workers than former workers. It is a cynical policy to ignore the older ones.
Many believe that lack of prospect of old age security is partly responsible for massive corruption. Hence, as a nation, we cannot ignore the consequences of leaving senior citizens in the lurch.
The 2014 reform failures demonstrate that laws are not often enough, but committed persons make the difference.