We won’t support subsidy removal because they want to pay us.” – Pensioners
Pensioners across the country on Sunday took a swipe at state governors for linking payment of pensions and gratuities to the removal of fuel subsidy.
Delta, Cross River, Osun and Kano states’ chapters of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners separately told our correspondents that it was wicked for the governors to hinge the payment on the removal of fuel subsidy.
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum, in a communiqué released after its meeting on December 16 and read by its Chairman and Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, said the governors had resolved to include settlement of all outstanding pension obligations as part of the social compact with citizens for the removal of fuel subsidy.
The Delta State pensioners called on the state government to pay them.
The Vice Chairman, Association of Contributory pension Scheme, Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Delta State Council, State, Mr. Antony Osanakwu s in an interview with The PUNCH in Asaba condemned the NGF.
He asked, “What is the relationship between our pensions and subsidy? Are the pensions of former of governors not being paid?
“We spent 35 years in service. Instead paying us our pensions, they are saying our entitlement will be paid when the subsidy is removed.”
According to him, Since 2017, the Delta State Government has not paid pensioners us.
The Kano State chairman of the State chapter of Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Salisu Gwale, in an interview with one of our correspondents, said the state government owed pensioners N28bn pensions, gratuities and death befits.
On the recent declaration by governors that they would clear backlog of pensions after the fuel subsidy removal, Gwale said the governors had no reason to say so because they were still executing capital projects.
The Chairman of the NUP, Calabar Branch, Eyo Eyo, said, “We have been paid up till October. We have not been paid for November and December.”
The Benue State Chairman of the NUP, Mike Vembe, in a chat with one of our correspondents, dismissed the argument by state governors that they would only be able to pay pensioners when fuel subsidy is removed.
Speaking to one of our correspondents, the Osun State Chairman of the NUP, rejected removal of subsidy as a condition for payment of retirees.
He said subsidy removal should not be a condition for the payment of retirees, since such term was never attached to payment of severance package for political office holders.
He said, “We all know the spiral effect that subsidy removal will have on the populace. If they say that is the condition, we consider it as ‘hide and seek game.’ Is that condition attached, when political office holders exit office before they are paid? It is hide and seek game and we won’t allow them to hide behind subsidy removal.
“We won’t take it. We will slug it out with them. Our common wealth belongs to all of us. They can’t put forward removal of subsidy as a condition for payment of pension and gratuities.
“Nigeria is rich enough to do whatever the leadership feels like doing without adding to the burden of ordinary people. We all know if subsidy is removed, the effect will be severe. We won’t support subsidy removal because they want to pay us.”
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