The South-South Zone Forum of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners, NUP has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that the pensions funds mismanaged during the last administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan are recovered and prosecute looters of the funds.
The pensioners who made the call at the end of the south-south zonal forum of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners meeting held at the NULGE secretariat, Port Harcourt supported the federal government’s anti-corruption crusade.
The union appreciated the efforts of the Pension Transitional Administration Directorate (PTAD) in embarking on national verification exercise for pensioners and appealed to the Directorate to ensure that the exercise is continued to its logical conclusion.
The union urged PTAD to ensure that the union pensioners and the next of kins of deceased pensioners are paid their entitlements without delay immediately after the exercise.
The union noted that the frequency calls from Abuja demanding their papers are processed, and called on PTAD to thoroughly investigate the situation to stop the embarrassments and called on the various state governments in the zone to pay without further delay all entitlements owed pensioners in their respective States which include the 6% increase (2003) the 15% increase (2007) and 33% increase (2010).
The forum appealed to the national headquarters to ensure that the constitutional provision on increase in pension every five years is implemented as amended in section 173 (3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or harmonize pensions across board.
In his address the Rivers State chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners NUP Comr. Edward Festus Abibo commended Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike for clearing the 6 months pension arrears in two installments owed pensioners by the past administration and appealed to him to implement the payment of the outstanding pension entitlement of 2003, 2007, 33% pension increase and the retired primary school teachers.
Comr. Abibo called on the south-south zone to marshal out plans and reaches to other zones and formulates strategies on how the issue of non payment of entitlements of pensioners will be met. ###
Emeka Jilly Ejiowhor
