Pensioners, under the umbrella of Nigeria Union of Pensioners/Federal Contributory Pension Retirees (NUP/FECOPER), on Wednesday, marched to the NUP House in Onireke, Ibadan, the Oyo state capital to protest non-payment of their retirement benefits.
The pensioners, who carried various placards with inscriptions such as: “Pensioners are suffering’’ and “Save our Souls”, urged the Federal Government to address challenges inherent in the Contributory Pension Scheme.
Spokesman of the pensioners, Mr. Samuel Kojusola, said the Pension Reform Act 2014 as amended directed that retirement benefits should be paid not later than three months after retirement.
He expressed displeasure that many members have not been paid their retirement benefits since June 2017, and appealed to the Pension Commission to facilitate the payment without delay.
Kojusola said, “It has also come to the notice of the union that some of our members who retired between July and December 2007 have had their pension terminated since October 2017.
“Does this mean pensioners are to receive pension for only 10 years, despite an assurance that Contributory Pension retirees, especially those on programmed withdrawal, will draw pension for life? We need clarifications on these issues.”
Kojusola also called for an implementation of 15 and 33 per cent increase in pension, payment of accrued interest on bonded entitlements since 2004, as well as full payment of salaries as pension to qualified professors.
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