The leadership of Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has called on state governments to discontinue their refusal to implement the 33.4 per cent pension and the consequential adjustment to pension since 2019.
Rising from its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Jos, Plateau State, NUP, in a communiqué jointly signed by its National President, Comrade Godwin Abumisi and General Secretary, Comrade Elder Actor Zal, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his commitment to the constitutional provisions, particularly the 33.4 per cent pension increase, the consequential adjustment and the arrears therefrom as a consequential of workers’ salaries increase in 2019.
The union said, “NEC-in-session chided state governments on non-implementation of 33.4 per cent pension increase and the consequential adjustment to pension since 2019.
“The meeting also accused the state governments of infringing on the constitutional provisions that pension should be increased anytime workers salaries are increased or once every five years, whichever comes earlier. The meeting also advised state governments that are in the act of not paying check-off dues to state branches of NUP to do so without further delay.
“NEC-in-session studied seriously the news going round that humongous sums of money have been approved as pension benefits for the President, Vice-President, governors and other political office holders and declared the action as ungodly and self-serving. The meeting advised that the action should be put in abeyance.
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“The NEC-in-session enthused on the harmonisation process which has been kickstarted with the National Income, Salaries and Wages Commission in cahoot with other stakeholders like PTAD, OHCSF, Office of the Inspector General of Police, Budget Office, Accountant-General of the Federation, among others.
“The NEC-in-session informed the meeting that the union has submitted a proposal for a National Health Insurance Scheme for pensioners and older persons, the funding of which should be from telecommunication tax.
“The NEC-in-session advised PTAD to have a rethink of her stance on deduction of pensioners’ pension, an action that had attracted a court judgement against PTAD in a competent court of jurisdiction in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.”