Yemisi Izuora
Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, has promised to fast track the process to actualise consequential adjustment of national minimum pension.
Speaking, at the 11th quadrennial delegates conference of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Ngige said adjustment of the minimum pension had been due since 2019 when the new minimum wage of N30,000 took effect.
“In this regard, my Ministry has decided to take the lead on the lingering issue of consequential adjustment to the pension of Nigerian pensioners which had been overdue since 2019 when the new Minimum Wage Act was signed into law by Mr President. We are hopeful that, working with other agencies of government, there would be some light at the end of the tunnel,” the Minister said.
NUP hinted of its intention to hold a protest in Abuja, tomorrow, to draw the attention of the Federal Government to the plight of retired workers.
Outgoing President of the union, Dr. Abel Afolayan, who gave the hint, said NUP had given the Federal Government an ultimatum on the protest, but nothing has been done.
“The welfare of pensioners is still terrible. Pensioners not being treated well at all. Many of them are suffering. Some earn as low as N5,000 and they are not being paid promptly. Even as we speak now, the pension increase, consequential upon the national minimum wage and salary adjustment, is yet to be effected, two years after those of the workers had been done.”
In his address, President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, decried the plight of pensioners in the country, saying the condition was lamentable.
“In all sectors of Nigeria’s economy, it is the efforts and hard work of pensioners that ensure the successes of the country.
I call on governments to prioritise the payment of pensioners as at when due. The issue is not of the fund to pay but a priority. Imo State remains the worst in payment of pension,” Wabba said.
