Pensioners on Monday begged the Federal Government (FG) to pay them their six months wage award.
The spokesperson of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Bunmi Ogunkolade begged to FG to pay a six months wage award of N25,000 monthly owed to its members across the country.
According to Ogunkolade, the FG is yet to implement the N25,000 wage award that was announced for pensioners last year.
“As I am speaking with you now, not a single pensioner nationwide has received anything, while workers have enjoyed their N35,000 for six months,” Ogunkolade lamented.
“So, what did the pensioners do wrong?” he asked while commending President Bola Tinubu for assenting to the new National Minimum Wage law promptly.
The NUP spokesperson also urged Tinubu to ensure that the implementation process should include pensioners.
According to him, pensioners are feeling the impact of economic hardship in Nigeria the most, resulting in the ill health of some of their aged members.
“It is pathetic, seeing our members down with health issues, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, prostrate among others, and the state government they served for decades are not concerned about their plight,” he lamented.
“Some state governors would even ask the pensioners if they do not have children that they should take care of them.
“It is worrisome that some pensioners are still receiving pittance, as low as N2,000 since they retired 15 years ago.
“State governors should implement the directive of 33.4 percent increments of 2010 as well as the regular increment of 2015 and 2019 consequential adjustment increments.”
