By Cross Udo, Abuja
The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) yesterday said that a good number of pensioners that served the country meritoriously have died without reaping the fruit of their labour and begged the federal government to pay the outstanding balance of N33bn to Nigeria Airways workers.
The senior citizens have called for their inclusion in the distribution of palliatives to cushion the effect of the removal of the petrol subsidy.
National President of the Union, Comrade Godwin Abumisi, made the appeal during the 2023 Pensioners’ Day held at the headquarters of the Union in Abuja.
Abumisi commended the immediate past president, Muhammadu Buhari for approving the release and payment of the sum of N45bn out of the N78bn.
According to him, “The non-release of the funds for the settlement of the accrued rights is causing a lot of delay in the payment of monthly pension to this category of pensioners who cannot access their monthly payment and other entitlements without the payment of the accrued rights. The total accumulated accrued rights as of today stands at about N140bn.
“We hereby call on the Federal Government for its timely intervention to save the souls of this category of pensioners from untimely death.
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*Calls for payment of outstanding N33bn to Nigeria Airways workers
Speaking about the outstanding balance of N33bn to Nigeria Airways workers, the union recalled how the Federal Government in its wisdom decided to liquidate Nigeria Airways in 2014, adding that both the workers and the existing pensioners were paid off.
“The pay-off was calculated and put at N78bn, being the total liability. Out of the N78bn, the sum of N45bn was released and paid by the last administration, leaving the balance of N33bn unsettled.
“While commending the bold steps taken by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to approve, release and pay the sum of N45bn out of the N78bn, we wish to passionately appeal to the present administration to kindly rise to the occasion by directing the Presidential Initiative Continuous Audit (PICA), under the Federal Ministry of Finance, charged with the responsibility of handling this payment to expedite action on this pending payment without further delay, as many pensioners in this category waiting for the payment have died without enjoying the full fruits of their labour.”
The Union also regretted over the non-inclusion of pensioners in the distribution of palliatives, hence, they urged the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, to involve pensioners.
They said, “Regrettably, the pensioners who fall in the category of the most vulnerable persons in Nigerians with their peculiar challenges are always left out in the distribution of material and non-material palliative packages.
“It is on this premise that we wish to draw the attention of the Federal Government via the office of the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, who is passionately committed to fighting the course of the poor vulnerable Nigerians to consider the inclusion of pensioners in the ongoing distribution of palliative packages, both within and outside the shores of the Federal Capital Territory, towards cushioning the biting effect of the economic hardship unleashed on Nigerians as a result of the fuel subsidy removal.
“On this note, we wish to suggest to the Federal Government that for any approved palliatives to get to our members across the board, it should consider the use of Government Agencies that handle pension payments, with accurate database records, contai
