By Osinachi Nkwocha
The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), has called on state governments in Nigeria to make payment of pension a priority, saying that pension is a legal right and should not be treated as a favour.
NUP also said that it is an unprofitable gain to the personality of any governor who withholds pensions or uses it for personal business. And also said it is inhuman and irresponsible for any governor not to consider paying pensions to the aged citizens who used their youthful age to serve their father’s land, as important and sacred.
In a chat with our Reporter in Abuja, the Spokesperson to NUP Mr Bunmi Ogunkolade, who said this, went on to plead with both Federal and State governments to constitutionally make payment of pensions a first line charge. Adding that regular and prompt payment of pension to the aged citizens, some of who he said their monthly pay is as low as N3000, is a noble thing to do.
While he praised President Buhari government for regular and prompt payment of pensions since he took office in 2015, he particularly called on the newly elected governors in the states to pay more attention to the plights of the pensioners. The Union said beside the fact that “pensioners also buys from the same market other Nigerians are buying from, they also have needs to meet in order to survive and therefore should be paid as at when due.”
“Pension is a right. The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria said so. This is because if you have served your father’s land either for 20, 30 or more years, you deserve a pension. And for using your youthful energy to serve your country, when you retire; it is constitutionally a payback time from the country to you.
“It is rather unfortunate that pensioners suffer unwholesomely in Nigeria, a trend you cannot see or hear about it in other climes. It is actually a heart wrecking situation pensioners especially in the states go through. Some of them are owed many months, and the sad thing is the governors that owe these pensioners seem not to care about how these aged people whose pensions are withhold for worthless reasons, survives.
“It is like a parent that has a child; they trained and did every thing to make sure the child become successful, but when it is the child’s turn the take care of the parent, he or she started giving excuses.”
