Pensioners in the South-West Zone of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners have urged governors in the region to consider implementing the newly authorized consequential adjustment and increase in pension to reflect the Federal Government’s new National Minimum Wage.
The pensioners announced this at a union meeting in Akure, Ondo State’s capital, on Friday, revealing that the Federal Government had approved an adjustment in retirees’ pensions under the Defined Benefit Pension Scheme as a result of the New National Minimum Wage Act 2019.
Elder Ayo Ikumapayi, the NUP’s South-West Chairman, decried the suffering of senior citizens in the country after serving the country, adding the pain is getting unbearable.
Ikumapayi urged the governors of the Southwest to save retirees from premature mortality by implementing the pension increase granted under the new national minimum wage.
In a separate speech, Segun Abatan, the NUP South-West Public Relations Officer, warned against favoritism and irregularities in the payment of gratuities in Ondo, Osun, Ogun, Oyo, and Ekiti states, but praised the Lagos and Ondo state governments for enacting a 33.4 percent pension hike for worthy pensioners.
“We urge our governors in the South-West to make the necessary adjustments and pension increases to match the new National Minimum Wage,” he said. Our retirees are in dire straits; some are living on as little as N600 a month.
“We also want our governors to exempt pensioners from the payment of a proportion of their monthly salary. Let’s make sure our members receive their full pensions. It is insufficient.”
The pensioners also expressed their dissatisfaction with the country’s high incidence of insecurity and urged the government at all levels to be proactive in providing jobs for the country’s unemployed youths, while cautioning against increases in pump prices and power rates.
