Pensioners urge FG to pay pension arrears, lament suffering
Many retirees in the Federal Capital Territory have voiced their dissatisfaction regarding the postponed payments of pension arrears.The News Agency of Nigeria reports that President Bola Tinubu had sanctioned the N758 billion Treasury Bond by the Federal Executive Council in February for the settlement of the arrears.
However, the National Assembly granted approval for the execution of the N758 billion Treasury bond on July 22.
The bond was intended to address all governmental obligations under the Contributory Pension Scheme for retirees spanning over several decades.
The pensioners, who expressed their distress over their hardships, also called for the prompt execution of the N758 billion Treasury bond to raise their monthly pensions in accordance with current economic conditions.
In a conversation with NAN, Hajiya Amina Lawal stated that even some workers struggle to afford three meals, noting that it is even more challenging for pensioners.
“We felt a sense of relief after the president announced that we would receive payment, but we did not anticipate such a lengthy wait for processing.
“Our expectations were lifted, and some have passed away while awaiting payment.
“We are pleading for the immediate execution; we are too elderly to be on the streets,” she expressed.
Another pensioner, George Ose, mentioned that they are enduring significant difficulties, sharing that some retirees have lost their lives in this struggle.
“My family and I are experiencing hunger. I cannot afford my children’s school fees.
“My landlord is pressing me, and on top of that, I can no longer access the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
“If you look into my eyes, you would see that I urgently need medical care.
“We, the pensioners in this country, are suffering.
” After dedicating years of hard work, if I had known I would endure this, I wouldn’t have offered them my services,” he added.
Joy Adewale, who retired alongside her husband in 2016, mentioned that they have been battling to make ends meet.
“We have been struggling to live on this allowance. I am in pain, and my husband is suffering too. What have we done wrong? We dedicated 35 years of service to our nation.
“After retirement, I started a business selling soft drinks, but the government demolished my shop.”
Currently, this amount is insufficient to provide for both my family and me, not to mention our medical expenses and other obligations.
“Some among us couldn’t endure this struggle. Even my neighbor, who retired two years back, passed away two months ago. Society tends to look down on us because we are retirees,” she shared.
Adewale mentioned that after her shop was destroyed, she approached the company for which she sold products, seeking assistance to acquire goods on credit and repay them later, but her request was denied.
“Even my bank refused to offer me a loan to keep my business afloat because I am a retiree.
“I have no friends left; only God is currently supporting me and my family.
“I am now pleading with the current government to assist us in receiving all our entitlements while we are still living.
“I pray that God accepts the souls of our colleagues who have passed away. For those of us who are alive, I also ask God to help us enjoy the results of our hard work,” she expressed.
Nkiru Offor, who retired in 2019, stated that her benefits were disbursed in 2021 and have been consistent since, but an increase is necessary.
“My NHIS was terminated immediately after I retired, presenting a significant challenge, as I now spend far more on medical tests and medications rather than just the ten percent I used to pay.
“To register for the private NHIS program, they require N50,000, which is quite difficult.
“They are even informing me that there are issues with my payment, which hasn’t come through in the past three months since I signed up. So, there’s no access to affordable healthcare,” she explained.
Evans Ubah called on the Federal Government for assistance, saying, “Right now, I can barely feed myself; just look at my face, it shows the hunger.
“Observe how harsh the economy has become due to our leaders.
“We currently have nothing to survive on; every year, they announce in the media that pension fund assets have increased, but why haven’t pensioners been compensated?
“Our country has a constitution that mandates salary increases every five years, which should include pensions as well,” Ubah remarked.
Ubah expressed that they require their back pay to start a small business.
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