National Union of Pensioners (NUP) has reiterated its call for the effective implementation of pension policies to address the ongoing economic hardships faced by retirees.
Speaking during the 2024 Pensioners’ Day in Abuja yesterday, NUP national president, Comrade Godwin Abumisi, outlined the pressing issues affecting pensioners and offered solutions aimed at alleviating their challenges.
The theme of this year’s celebration, focused on, “The Unresolved Economic Hardship in Nigeria and its Traumatic Effects on the Lives of Nigerian Pensioners/Older Persons”.
The NUP president expressed gratitude to the federal government for the recent 20% pension increase and the new circular for a N32,000 pension increment following the N70,000 national minimum wage. However, Abumisi emphasised the need for these policies to be fully implemented, as many pensioners are still waiting for payments.
The NUP also highlighted several unresolved issues affecting pensioners, including the long-standing problem of non-harmonization of pensions, the omission of the 2015 pension review, and the plight of pensioners under the Contributory Pension Scheme.
Abumisi called for urgent government action to address these challenges, emphasising that pensioners, who are among the most vulnerable citizens, should not be excluded from palliative packages aimed at alleviating economic hardship.
He raised concern over the poor state of pensioners at the state and local government levels, where many retirees have not received pensions for years.
He urged the federal government to intervene by releasing bailout funds to state governments to settle outstanding pension liabilities.
Abumisi also proposed that the government partner with the NUP and pension agencies like PTAD and PENCOM to ensure that palliative measures reach pensioners directly.
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