Hundreds of pensioners poured into the secretariat of the Ogun State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta, yesterday protesting alleged 10 months pension arrears owed them by the Federal Government.
The retirees, who protested on the platform of Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to prevail on PENCOM to settle their arrears before he leaves government on May 29.
They lamented that the non-payment of the arrears was affecting their survival, adding that over 20 of their members died from hunger and health challenges.
The union’s National Chairman, Samuel Kajusola, who spoke on behalf of the members, said they have noticed some aspects of the Pension Reform Act 2014, which the National Pension Commission (PENCOM) failed to implement.
Kajusola, who expressed suspicion that their arrears might have been used to fund 2015 polls’ campaign, said such areas include computation and compilation of retirement benefits, review of pension and non-payment of retirement benefits.
According to him, pensioners across the country, who retired under the contributory pension scheme since August 2014 till date, were yet to have their “lump sum or monthly payment settled by PENCOM”.
He said: “What do they want the retirees to be eating after serving Federal Government of Nigeria for 35 years meritoriously? We suspect that our money with PENCOM has been used for 2015 election campaign.
“Retirees have been complaining seriously on meagre amount paid as monthly pension, either as monthly withdrawal or annuity. Contributory pensioners received only 20-25 per cent of their last pay as monthly pension, while a pensioner in the old pension scheme receives 80 per cent of his last pay as monthly pension.
“Pension Reform Act 2004 section (4) stipulated that retirees will have not less than 50 per cent of their last pay as monthly pension as at the date of their retirement.
“None of the retirees enjoy this amount since the inception of the Act till date. Unfortunately, the portion has been expunged from the new Pension Reform Act 2014. What have we done to deserve this ugly treatment?”