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Tag: Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP)

  • Pensioners demand payment of outstanding pension arrears by governors

    Pensioners demand payment of outstanding pension arrears by governors

    The national president of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Comrade Godwin Abumisi has called on the federal government and the state governors to release bailout funds to settle all outstanding pensions accrued to pensioners across the country.

    The NUP national president made the demand during the celebration of this year’s Pensioners Day at the weekend in Abuja.

    He said the retirement benefits owed to pensioners by many states are running into trillions of naira.

    Abumisi said that significant numbers of pensioners in the state and local governments across the country have died without enjoying the fruits of their labour as a result of non-payment of their monthly pensions for many years and total denial of gratuities.

    “As the president of the union, this neglect gives me sleepless nights, especially when legitimate and legal rights are denied to these senior citizens. Let me call on Mr. President and the Governors Forum to put this matter as one of the priorities of the government to release bailout funds to the State Governments to settle all the outstanding pensions accrued to Pensioners across the country,” he stated.

    According to him, pensioners have been denied the benefits of a review of their pension or increment every five years as provided in the 1999 constitution and other extant pension laws as enjoyed by their federal counterparts.

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    Comrade Abumisi appealed to President Tinubu to come to their aid by putting in place necessary government instruments towards making funds available for the payment of the omitted pension review of 2015 which he said would serve as another form of palliatives to put a smile on the faces of the pensioners in the country.

    According to him, the past administration under President Muhammadu Buhari approved the payment of the various pension reviews of 2015 but regrettably, he said the review was omitted and has suffered a series of setbacks as it has not been paid.

    On the issue of non-payment of the outstanding balance of N33 billion to the retired Nigeria Airways workers, the national president of NUP recalled that the Federal Government in its wisdom decided to liquidate Nigeria Airways in 2004 of which both the workers and the existing pensioners were paid off by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration.

    He puts the figure at N78bin, being the total liability.

    Abumisi explained that of the N78bn, N45bn was released and paid by the last administration, leaving a balance of N33bn unsettled.

    He urged the present administration in line with its ”Renewed Hope Agenda to direct the Presidential Initiative Continuous Audit (PICA), under the Federal Ministry of Finance with the responsibility of handling the payment to expedite action on the payment without further delay.

    Abumisi also called on the Federal Government to order the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission to find a way out of the non-implementation of arrears of pension increments of 15 per cent, 33 per cent and the consequential adjustment of 2007, 2010 and 2019 respectively to pensioners under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

  • Pensioners threaten to embark on nationwide protest

    Issue 21 days ultimatum

    Nigerian Pensioners under the auspices of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) have threatened to shut down the operation of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) and other agencies of government responsible for the delay in their payment if the government failed to pay the balance of their 33 percent pension increase within 21 days.

    Addressing a news conference on Tuesday in Abuja, National President of the Union, Dr. Abel Afolayan said the leadership of the union can no longer contain the anger of its members that have been spoiling for a showdown with the government.

    Afolayan said “The payment of the balance of  this arrears is long overdue. We had made several submissions and appeals at different fora to the federal government  through PTAD for this payment but to no avail.

    “The leadership of the union therefore can no longer contain the anger of its members who have been spoiling for a show down with the federal government over the non-payment.

    “Consequently,  and having been pushed to the wall, we are compelled to issue a 21-day ultimatum to PTAD in compliance with the extant labour laws after which if no payment is made,  pensioners would embark on a protest to picket PTAD and other relevant offices connected with this payment.

    “I do hope that immediate action would be taken to effect the payment in order to make such a course of action unnecessary, and as a mark of respect for us the elderly and senior citizens of this country.”

    While commending the Minister of Finance, Hajia Zainab Ahmed for releasing N22.4bn to settle the long-awaited pension liabilities of the defunct Nigeria Airways Staff in liquidation, he wants the government to ensure that pensioners are given equal treatment t with workers in arriving at a new minimum wage for the country.

    “This gesture has in no small measure put smiles on the faces of the beneficiaries. Equally, this gesture goes to attest to the fact that the federal government under the able leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari is indeed a listening government.”

    He said further that there was the need the union to press for the consideration and approval of the National Minimum Pension for pensioners by the federal government alongside the on-going negotiation for  the approval and  implementation of a National Minimum Wage  for Nigerian workers.

    Read Also: Federal pensioners protest over non-payment of 36 pension arrears

    He said “Suffice it to say our request is in line with the provisions of sections 173 (3) and 210 (3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) which unambiguously states that “pensions shall be reviewed every five years or together with any Federal Civil Service salary reviews, whichever is earlier”. The last pension review was in July 2010. The next one, in line with the provision of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) was due  in July 2015.

    “Despite our efforts and submissions, nothing has been done in compliance with the above constitutional provisions.  This is the reason why the union has been very vocal and unrelenting  in restating its position on the call and demand for a new minimum pension alongside the on-going negotiation for a  new minimum wage which by all indications will soon be implemented by the federal government.

    “It is therefore our humble request, in accordance with the above constitutional provisions that a uniformed national minimum pension be approved for Nigerian pensioners to be the same as any minimum wage.

    “In other words, whatever amount is approved as minimum wage for workers should also apply as minimum pension for pensioners. We believe that whatever is good for the Goose is also good for the Gander,  as both workers and pensioners go to the same market for their daily needs.

    “Regrettably and pathetically too, many pensioners today earn as low as N4,000 per month which is nothing to write home about. With the present economic situation in the country, it is unacceptable and in fact inhuman for a pensioner  to earn less than N30,000 which is not even enough to cater for his needs.

    “We would like to emphasize again that  whatever is finally approved as the national  minimum wage should equally  apply to pensioners as national  minimum pension with a  corresponding circular,  clearly stating  minimum pension (QED),  and  not  after the release of the minimum wage circular the union would  begin to run helter skelter in pursuance of  the release of the pensioners circular as experienced  in the case of the  2010 minimum wage  and pension review.

    “It is also important and imperative  to add here  that  state governments should take a cue  from  the federal government  that whatever  is the final agreement reached  by the tripartite committee as minimum wage, same should apply to all state pensioners as minimum pension in accordance with section 210 (3) of the 1999 Federal  Constitution (as amended).

    “For justice and fairness, and in line with the spirit and letter of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal republic of Nigeria, sections173 (3) and 210 (3),   minimum wage and minimum pension should be the same. This is our position, this is our demand.”

  • Pension arrears: What Oyo state pensioners demand

    The Nigeria Union of Pensioners ( NUP ), Oyo State chapter has called on the state government to emulate the Federal Government by paying the backlogs of arrears.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Federal Government has released N42.68 billion to pay the entitlements of Airways pensioners.

    Mr Gbade Akande, the state Chairman of the union made the call on Wednesday while addressing journalists, after a prayer session at the Secretariat of the union in Ibadan,

    “We pray that the state government quickly pays the pensioners“ arrears in order to put a stop to untimely deaths of our members dying due to inability to afford simple medications,” Akande said.

    “We plead that the Oyo State Government uses the entire Paris club fund to pay the arrears of workers, pensions and gratuities.

    Read Also: N1.6b pension fraud: Oyo pensioners urged to be calm

    “Oyo State Government should emulate the federal government which just released a whopping sum of N42.68 billion to pay the entitlements of Airways pensioners, “ he said.

    He said the prayer was organised to seek the face of God on the travails of pensioners in the state

    The state chairman the union resorted to prayers over the unpaid 62 months pension arrears of retired primary school teachers and local government pensioners, to ameliorate their suffering.

    He said that the union had done what was humanly possible to do and what was left was to seek the face of almighty God.

    He said the state government had the ability to pay the 62 months pension arrears totalling N42.3billion, if there was political will.

    Akande saluted the loyalty of the members and urged them to remain united.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that one of pensions fainted during the prayer session and was quickly rushed to the hospital.

  • 2019 General Elections: NLC urges workers, pensioners to obtain voters’ card

    2019 General Elections: NLC urges workers, pensioners to obtain voters’ card

    As part of preparations for the 2019 general elections, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged workers and pensioners in the country who are yet to register to do so and obtain voters card.

    Ayuba Wabba, NLC President said this when he paid a familarisation visit to the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) National Secretariat on Tuesday in Abuja.

    Wabba said this was imperative as governors and other political office holders with anti-labour tendencies were on the increase.

    He said the political elites had the notion that pensioners and workers do not have any political value, adding that it was the reason why the payment of salaries and pensions were not being taken seriously.

    “A lot of politicians say workers and pensioners do not have political value and therefore it is a big challenge, they even claim that we do not have voters card.

    “We are going to embark on a vigorous campaign for workers and pensioners to register and obtain their voters card.

    “Because a process has been opened for workers, pensioners and their families to acquire voters’ card, where it is missing, revalidate it. We have the number.

    “In NLC alone, we are over eight million Nigerians without the pensioners and so, we have the number to challenge any politician and make them realise that we are a force to reckon with.’’

    According to him, let us awaken this consciousness and make sure we do what is right because we also have to engage the process and be able to represent our members.

    “Because the notion also is that we are very comfortable and that we do not have voters card. It is very important for us to engage the system,’’

    He called on the leadership of the NUP to as a matter of urgency issue a circular to pensioners in the 744 Local Government Areas to ensure that they have their voters’ card.

    “Even if a pensioner is on a wheel chair, he must get his card because we must also exercise our value and contribute to the system for our benefits.’’

    The NLC president described as unfortunate and a challenge that workers and pensioners were continually agonised as some states do not pay them their entitlement regularly, adding that it must be stop.

    “The constitution has made it very clear that pension is a right after working diligently for the service of your nation for 35 years and having attained the mandatory age of 60.

    “Retirement ought to be sweet, but in most cases retirement these days is not sweet, you are always on one verification or the other.’’

    Wabba added that NLC’s National Executive Council would meet to deliberate on a campaign strategy that would ensure that all workers, pensioners, their family, and dependents have a voter’s card.

    He also assured the NUP that the problem of minimum wage for workers and pension would be tabled before governments at all levels.

    Responding, Mr Abel Afolayan, NUP President decried the non-payment of the arrears of 33 per cent pension increase since 2010.

    According to Afolayan, civilian pensioners are being owed 18 months arrears, while the police pensioners are owed 39 months.

    “To be frank with you, some pensioners go home monthly with as low as N4,000 only. This is highly unfair and greatly inhuman.

    “We also have issues with some states governments over slash in pension arrears, among other issues and we will want you to assist us,’’ he said.

  • PENCOM to launch micro-pension scheme for self employed

    PENCOM to launch micro-pension scheme for self employed

    The National Pension Commission (PENCOM) has said it will soon launch a micro pension scheme to take care of the interest of self-employed individuals in the country, just as it announced that only three, out of the 36 states in the country have fully implemented the Contributory Pension Scheme in accordance with the Pension Reforms Acts of 2014.

    Head of Research of the Commission, Farouk Aminu who spoke at the 10th Delegates Conference of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) in Kaduna said the Pension Reforms Act  has made it possible for Pension to be extended to the self-employed.

    He also said that the Act made it mandatory for the 36 states to implement the Contributory Pension Scheme for their workers, adding that so far, 11 states babe shown signs of willingness to implement the scheme and are at various stages of implementation.

    However, he said only Jigawa, Kaduna and Ogun states have fully complied with the provisions of the act and are now implementing the scheme for their workers, but expressed the confidence that other states will soon join the league when the bill before their state assemblies is signed into law.

    Aminu said: “One of the beauty of the contributory pension scheme is that  it has established a robust institutional and legal framework particularly as regards pension assets. The Pension Fund Administrators just provide account services. But the Pension Fund Custodians are in custody of the funds and keep in trust the pension assets on behalf of the contributors.

    “Therefore, not a single kobo is with the National Pension Commission or the Pension Fund Administrators. The custodians are four major banks in the country and gas given us the guarantee on the total pension assets in their custody.

    “So, what ever happen in the pension industry, the pensions are fully safe under the custody of the four custodians. National Pension Commission is the regulator of all pension matters in the country, including supervision of the Pension Fund Administrators and regulating them, supervising and regulating the Pension Funds Custodians as well as supervision of PTAD.

    “Our happiness is that Pencom has a robust board that has as members, people that are really keen and interested in the way pension administration and regulations takes place as well as all the legislations.

    “The members include the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress and the Nigeria Union of Pensioners. This is just to tell you that whatever decisions are taken by the board will be in the total interest of pensioners in the country.

    “Due to the effort and intervention of the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Pensions, the Contributory Pension Scheme was given N54 billion by the Federal Government to clear some pension arrears.

    “We received an initial N12 billion and we have asked the Central Bank of Nigeria who is the custodian of those assets to the money to retirees of the Federal government who retired in January and February 2016.

    “We have also received cash backing of N41 billion which we are going to use to pay outstanding arrears of those who retired between March ad August 2016. We pray that when the inter-ministerial committee submits it’s report, the government will be able to give us the balance of the arrears.

    “The Pension Reform Act 2014 has made the implementation of the Contributory Pension Scheme mandatory on all states. So far, about 11 state government are implementing the scheme. Jigawa, Kaduna and Ogun states have fully implemented the scheme, while many other states are at various stages of implementation. “However, because of the regulation of pension, it is no longer an exclusive right of people who work in the public service or organised private sector. Pension is now available for people who are self-employed.

    “For us to ensure that these people are given the opportunity to participate in the pension scheme, pencom has introduced the Micro Pension Scheme. We will soon have a pilot launch of the scheme that will allow the self-employed to participate in the pension scheme.

    “The arrears that is owed by the federal government include the 1% of the minimum wage which is to be set aside for the establishment of the Pension Protection Fund which was provided for under section 82 of the Pension Reform Act 2014. There is also about N400 million that is due for the payment of pension of retired Permanent Secretaries.

    “The Pension Reforms Act recognised the need for pension increase as provided for by the section 173 of the 1999 constitution. For this reason, the 15% pension increase made to federal employees in 2007 has been computed and recognised and this amount to about N79 billion.

    “We are yet to do the computation of the 33% for the contributory pension scheme. But when we do that, we will definitely advice the necessity authority for the release of the money to be paid to the beneficiaries.”

    He assured that Pencom remain commuted to ensuring that every person who work, whether in the public or private sector receives his or her pension as and when due.

  • Aviation pensioners oppose planned concession of airports 

    Aviation pensioners oppose planned concession of airports 

    • Urges interested players to take up unviable airports

    Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) branch on Wednesday said that they are opposed to plans by the Federal Government to concede or privatise four viable airport terminals in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt.

    The pensioners said it is against national interest to concession the four major airports as the persons or company to be contracted to handle these international airports could be hired or compromise to allow weapons into the country.

    Speaking at a briefing in Lagos, National Chairman of NUP, FAAN, branch Comrade Rasak Ope and the Administrative Secretary, Comrade Emeka Njoku said previous attempts by government to achieve any form of concession in the aviation sector has been fraught with controversies.
    They said rather than concession the airports, FAAN, should be allowed to run existing airports without interference.

    They said the last administration excluded FAAN from privatisation or concession based on security implications.

    They urged the Federal Government to give more priority to unviable airport rather than its planned privatalisation or concession of the viable airport terminals.

    They said since the minister of aviation, Capt Hadi Sirika  is determined to make the airports profitable, he should concentrate on unviable airports and make them viable.

    They explained that airports across the world represent a cardinal posture of any country’s sovereignty, hence handling them to individual or group of people pretended danger to the country.

    They said previous attempts to privatise some government entities, including PHCN, Ajaokuta Steel, NITEL and the Nigeria Airways did not yield the desired results.

    “How can we give out our national heritage to individuals to operate, thereby undermining Nigeria sovereignty, losing sight of security implications, which is supposed to be paramount in every sphere of any nation.

    “Therefore, airports should not be seen as buying and selling ventures, where profit should be the yardstick.

    “Airports represent public interest such as economic, social activities and international connections, from country to country and state to state,” they said.

    They further said: “Contracting airports to a person or company to handle the four major international airports could be dangerous as they interested parties could be  hired or compromise to  allow weapons into the country including people of in question unable characters in the world.

    “They can use this laxity to flock into the country and former trouble which can lead to barrage deaths of citizens or unrest.

    “Not at the time when Nigeria is still battling with Book Haram, agitation of state Biafra and militancy. Therefore, we should not open more ways for trouble in the name of ‘we want our airports to be more viable and put Nigerians into danger,” it said.

    “Who will be responsible for the assets and liabilities of FAAN?, Has the Act establishing FAAN been abrogated or amended by the National Assembly before such transformation take place?” It said.

    The union noted that FAAN had tried such concession in the past with Maevis on revenue collection and its experience was unpalatable.

    “We are strongly convinced that the same ventures are back with the same convincing proposals to the Ministers and at the end of the day, the concessionaires will disappoint and legal battle will commence.

    “The staff and pensioners will suffer while infrastructure will continue to dilapidate the more, passenger will groan,” they said.

    Meanwhile, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN) has taken over Hometel Car Park close to the international wing of the Lagos Airport following what would seem like an unwillingness of the current concessionaires to remit funds collected on the authority’s behalf.

    This development came to light when the unions, last Thursday  took over the management of the car park from its concessionaire over allegations of non-remittance to FAAN for over two years.

    The unions also accused the management of the car park of lack of proper concessioning agreement with FAAN, saying that it signed and violated part of the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with the FAAN management, by unilaterally raising the car park fee from N200 to N500 per car without informing FAAN.

    It was learnt that Managing Director of FAAN, Engr. Saleh Dunoma on Monday backed the industry unions in its takeover of the Hometel Car Park due to the level of indebtedness and has ordered authority’s Legal Department to take a look at the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, it signed with the owners of the company.

    The meeting to discuss the takeover of the car park held at the headquarters of FAAN in Lagos.

    On the side of the management were the Ag. Director of Commercial, Mr. Toyin Okpaise, General Manager, Rentals, FAAN, Deputy General Manager, Corporate Communications, FAAN, Mr. Onyekpere Nnaekpe and other directors in the agency.

    The unions were led by the President of Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Comrade Benjamin Okewu, Secretary-General of National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) Comrade Olayinka Abioye, Chairman and Vice-Chairman of NUATE, FAAN Branch among many others.

    At the meeting, which ran till evening on Monday, the unions specifically said that it would not allow the concessionaire to continue to render the service on behalf of the agency, describing it as a “chronic debtor.”

    Acting General Secretary of NUATE, Comrade Olayinka Abioye confirmed the development.

    Abioye revealed that the agency had ordered its legal department to look at the naughty areas in the MoU between the two parties, stressing that since its takeover, the staff had been generating enough revenues that would make the payment of salaries easier at the end of the month.

    He said, “We have resolved the matter and FAAN staff have taken over the control of the car park from Hometel. At the meeting, the Managing Director of FAAN, ordered the legal department to critically look at the MoU with the owners of the company.

    “The management supported the takeover of the car park. If you have a concessionaire that is not generating revenue as supposed to you, what will you do with such a company? It was a very reassuring meeting. We will generate enough revenues that will be enough for us to pay salaries at the end of the month.