…seek N30,000 as minimum pension

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners, NUP, Southwest Zone has decried the non-payment of gratituities for Pensioners since 2008 till date, and vowed to approach the court of competent jurisdiction to that effect.

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners, NUP, Southwest Zone has decried the non-payment of gratituities for Pensioners since 2008 till date, and vowed to approach the court of competent jurisdiction to that effect.

Addressing newsmen after its meeting in Akure, through the union Zonal spokesperson, Comrade Olusegun Abatan, NUP commended the attitude of the state governors towards their welfare as wicked, while commending the federal government for prompt payment of pension allowance.

The union called on the current administration in Nigeria to look into the huge salary and allowances received by lawmakers and place them on minimum wage based on level grade.

NUP also appealed to governors to make the N30, 000 minimum wage, the minimum pension allowance for pensioners, and look inward to generate revenue internally in order to meet up with financial challenges.

The union members expressed their support for the local government autonomy , and disagreed with the proposal for life pension for lawmakers and governors.

“We discovered that non-payment of gratuity to pensioners, not only in Southwest, has become the traditions of Nigeria Governors to the extent that pensioners are not paid since 2008 through 2019. It has become a very serious affairs.

“Pensions are not also paid as at when due, to this effect, the Southwest caucus of Nigeria Union of Pensioners has decided to test certain part of the Nigerian constitution in a competent law court. We want to determine whether it is constitutional that state governors should not pay us, and if it is unconstitutional, we will go further to determine the suitability of such an offence, that is what Southwest NUP has decided to do.

“Another issue is the quest for lawmakers to want to collect pension for life. It is disdainful, wicked, and self-centred.

” It has become a serious issue that governors throughout the federation use local government funds as private pocket money and that is the reason some local workers and pensioners have been shortchanged.

“It has become a norm for some of these governors to dabble into funds of local government, hence, our union is fully in support of autonomy to Local Government”, the union stated.