The Nation Newspaper

Tag: NUP

  • Body seeks pension increment in budget

    Body seeks pension increment in budget

    •Oyo urged to pay N24b gratuity arrears

    Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) National President Dr. Abel Afolayan has berated the Federal Government for excluding the 33 per cent pension increase in the 2014 budget.

    Afolayan, who was represented by the Vice-President, Southwest, Alhaji Lateef Adegoke, spoke yesterday at a meeting with Oyo State pensioners in Ibadan.

    He said the Federal Government’s action showed that it does not care about the welfare of pensioners.

    Afolayan regretted that four years after the government approved the 33 per cent increment, pensioners were yet to be paid.

    He said the NUP and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) wrote President Goodluck Jonathan; the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. Jonah Otunla; and Senate President David Mark to express their displeasure.

    Afolayan said: “If the 33 per cent pension increment is not included in the 2014 budget before the end of March, Southwest pensioners will march on Abuja.”

    NUP Chairman, Oyo State branch, Ganiyu Azeez urged the state government to pay the N10 billion gratuity owed retired civil servants and the N14 billion gratuity owed retired primary school teachers.

    Azeez said: “It is disheartening that yesterday was February 17 and January pension has not being paid. In a few days, February pension would also be due. We were not promptly paid in December and there was a minor protest. We were assured then that such a delay would not happen again. In spite of several letters to the governor to pay pensioners 13th month, nothing has been heard. If there is anyone who needs the 13th month bonus, it is pensioners.”

    He urged the governor to pay January and February pension and order that pensioners be paid on the 25th of every month.

    Azeez said: “The rate at which workers retire monthly is higher, compared to the rate at which workers are employed. If care is not taken, in the next five years, pensioners will be more than workers. To stem this tide, our union recommends that the state government and workers dialogue and key into the contributory pension scheme.”

    He warned that pensioners’ would protest, if the state government fails to pay January and February pension before month end.

     

     

  • Pension-for-infrastructure

    Pension-for-infrastructure

    Pensioners have cause to worry about how govt wants their money spent

    IS the Federal Government henceforth ready to treat pension matters with the importance it deserves? We consider the question pertinent in view of the reported plan by government to invest accumulated pension funds worth about N3.72 trillion domiciled with the National Pension Commission (PenCom) on infrastructure development. Although at a glance, the decision is commendable, we strongly believe that the apprehension exhibited by the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) over the idea is equally explicable in a clime where public/pension funds avoidably get cluttered.

    NUP president, Dr. Abel Afolayan, at a function in Abuja reaffirmed the union’s knowledge of government’s plan to invest pension funds on infrastructure such as roads, health care, transport, housing, power, gas, agriculture and water resources, but cautioned: “We want to make it clear that the union is not totally opposed to the idea of investing the funds which in the first place is meant to yield returns on investment and thereby boost the Retirement Savings Account (RSA) of future retirees but suffice to say that our fear is premised on the ability of our government to provide sufficient protection for the safety of the funds to be invested.”

    The sectors slated to benefit from the funds disbursement in the form of loan are very key if any meaningful infrastructural development must be achieved in the country. These sectors are indeed ailing and begging for attention. But NUP’s well thought-out admonition is very salient because of adverse precedents whereby government officials stole pension funds without any serious consequences. So, it is not out of place to be sceptical about government’s ability to secure the funds that have accumulated from workers’ toils. It is sad that successive administrations have failed to deploy transparency and accountability in handling pension funds. Where is investment accountability if pension funds for this infrastructural upgrade must yield the desired result in the end?

    The government at this point should come out with details of the policy so that mounting public qualms can be doused. The machineries should be set in motion for government officials to quickly meet with relevant stakeholders, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) that is the umbrella body of workers in the country, PenCom (the regulatory body of pension affairs) and the pension administrators (the custodians of pensions), among others, for their inputs. We demand to know whether private companies or individuals can access the loans or whether only specialised banks or maybe those restrictive banks in concert with commercial banks will access the loans. We also want the government to avail the stakeholders the current state of affairs of these banks.

    Pension money is long-term and this would definitely avail the banks that are used to granting short-term facility the opportunity of yielding ground to long-term loans with its potential moderating effect on interest rate. Usually, short-term facility attracts higher interest rate and this is one vital area where pension funds will be of immense benefit to this investment initiative that would put more money in circulation.

    All said, this policy initiative is an invaluable opportunity for the Federal Government to redeem its abysmal image because of its largely negligent handling of state financial issues – a typical example is the sloppy management of Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P). This latest idea must not fail because the lifetime savings of Nigerian workers are involved. Nigerian workers’ sweat should not be seen by politicians in power and their collaborators as another national cake.

     

  • Sokoto pensioners demand salary increase

    Sokoto pensioners demand salary increase

    The Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP) in Sokoto State has urged the Aliyu Wamako administration to implement the 12.5 per cent and 15 per cent increment of their salaries as obtained in other states of the federation.

    The union is also seeking free medical treatment for its members and families in all the state and local government hospitals as well as the Usmanu Danfodiyo Teaching Hospital, Sokoto.

    Speaking during the Pensioners’ Day in Sokoto, its state chairman, Alhaji Ahmed Muhammad Ciroman Tangaza said pensioners in the state were concerned about the increment as well as free medical services for themselves and families.

    The chairman said granting the moderate demands by the union would fast-track steps for other states to emulate the initiative of Sokoto State government.

    “This will also encourage the Federal Government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and foreign bodies to practice as well.

    “Such efforts earned Governor Wamakko the NUP-friendly governor award in 2008 by our headquarters,” he recalled.

    However, Alhaji Muhammad said the union was aware of the giant strides made by Wamakko-led administration towards the welfare of its members.