NUP showers encomium on PTAD, vows to mobilise votes for pensioner-friendly presidential candidate

Ahead of the 2023 elections, the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), has vowed to massively mobilise votes for any aspirant who was pensioner friendly, as having such persons in power would guarantee a sense of belonging, respect and improved welfare for its members.

The pensioners’ union also praised Pensions Transition Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) for embarking on resulted oriented actions that are easing many challenges faced by pensioners in accessing their pensions.

President of NUP, Comrade Godwin Abumisi, who spoke to newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja, noted that pensioners were keenly and curiously watching the political space and the ongoing aggressive campaigns being embarked upon by the various aspirants vying for different positions under different political parties.

He said: “Certainly the pensioners shall pitch their tent with the Presidential/Gubernatorial aspirants who are committed and more disposed to their cause and plight by massively casting their votes for them in order to secure their tomorrow.

“We are still watching them and for the first time in Nigeria, we are going to make sure anybody who will not be disposed favourably to Pensioners in Nigeria is going to fail in the elections. A time has come when the politicians will stop taking us for granted.”

Abumisi who commended the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) for bringing succour and smiles to Nigerian pensioners through their various policies and interventions which he disclosed has brought noticeable less agitation and outcry, maintained that PTAD could not be “held responsible for the delay of monthly pensions or any related payments as misconceived by the misinformed general public.

According to him, the introduction of PTAD’s ‘I am Alive’ application software designed to routinely check the status of aliveness of pensioners and remove death cases from the database and payroll, has eliminated the rigorous physical verification exercise but most importantly, saved the Federal Government billions of naira.

The NUP President however decries the “pathetic” plight and unfortunate living conditions of state pensioners, especially those in states where the governors were unwilling to pay their legitimate entitlements.

“Even though I salute many state governors who are prompt in paying monthly pensions to our state pensioners, it is on records that the majority of the state pensioners have not received a fine of their gratuity since retirement between 5 – 10 years.

“More worrisome, almost all the state governors choose not to review the monthly pensions of their retirees as provided in sections 173(3) and 210(3) of the 1999 constitution as amended.

“With all sense of respect and responsibility I call on the state Governor as a matter of national emergency to immediately set up a committee jointly with our state council’s across the country to work out modalities on how state governors will liquidate all the outstanding entitlements that had accrued over the years.”

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