Pensioners of the defunct Nigeria Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) and its sister company, MTEL, have written an appeal letter to President Muhammadu Buhari.
They sought the President’s intervention in the unpaid 77 months’ pension arrears, despite his directive that the pensions be reinstated.
The letter by members of “Concerned NITEL/MTEL Pensioners” explained that while most of their counterparts in other privatised Federal Government agencies had their outstanding pensions settled, theirs had not been paid.
The letter by the group’s Chairman, Mr. Kunle Ojo, said the Executive Secretary of Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) had been saying that the payment of the pensioners’ arrears was subject to release of funds by the Federal Government.
The letter reads: “Your Excellency, sir. We, NITEL/MTEL pensioners, deeply appreciate your humanitarian gesture of reinstating our pensions.
“We humbly bring to your notice that we are still owed 77 months in arrears.
“What aches our souls is that most of our counterparts in other privatised government agencies have been settled as you have signed the Executive Orders granting their full settlement.
“We are not oblivious of your magnanimity in seeing to the welfare of the disadvantaged and the elderly, which you sincerely promised in your inaugural speech. Your paternal persuasion to action, which has restored our monthly pensions, has met us half-way and we are grateful.
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“It, however, remains the settlement of our arrears for which we now use this medium to make a request for, that you use your exalted offices to make this possible by the end of this 2021 fiscal year, as promised, which we strongly believe is achievable as the Executive Secretary of PTAD has unequivocally promised to settle the said arrears this year.
“But as it stands, no action has been taken, even as the year winds down to its inevitable close.
“Added to this, we are constantly being reminded (rather frustratingly) by her that the settlement of our arrears is subject to the release of funds by the Federal Government.
“This is where we strongly appeal to Your Excellency to intervene as many of us have died waiting for the fulfilment of your promise, and those of us who are alive are equally vulnerable without the full receipt of our arrears to enable us take care of many medical as well as other sundry problems.
“Let it be said that the settlement of our arrears was one of the glowing hallmarks of your administration. We salute you, Your Excellency.”