Pay Pension arrears, Union tells state govs

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) have urged state governors to pay the arrears of pension being owed pensioners or face the wrath of the senior citizens.
The pensioners during the celebration of the national pension day in Abuja said they are pained that state governments are still owing pension.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, NUP president, Comrade Abel Afolayan called for an immediate review of minimum pension just like the national minimum wage.
He explained that the last time a pension review was done was in 2010, stressing that pension is due for another review in 2015.
He said, “Pensioners were due for pension review in 2015 but they were not considered for any review that year and even the increase accruing from 2010 review are yet to be paid by many states.
“We therefore call on state governments that are still owing these arrears to pay immediately or face the wrath of the elderly people.”
He said that federal and state governments should also ensure that pensions are increased any time workers salaries are increased.
The NUP also called on the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to approve the creation of a full-fledged Ministry of Pension and Senior Citizens Affairs that would focus on pension issues just like the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development focuses on women and social issues.
Afolayan said that the ministry if created would cater adequately for the welfare of pensioners, and senior citizens throughout Nigeria as it is practiced in developed countries of the world.
On the issue of minimum pension, the union noted that the government has not complied with the Nigeria Constitution Section 173 (3) and 210 (3) which states that pension should be reviewed every five years or whenever workers’ wages are reviewed or whichever comes first.
Even though the provision applies equally to federal and state governments, the union stated that none of the two tiers of government has adhered to it.