The Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Zamfara Council has appealed to Governor Bello Mohammed to settle members accumulated pension arrears and gratuities.
The union also called for the immediate review of pension allowance to a minimum of N30,000 a month given the high cost of living in the country.
The Chairman of the State Council of the union, Hassan Muhammad, in a statement said, the state chairman appealed, in a message to mark the 2021 Pensioners Day in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital.
He said every December 11 is designated by the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, to mark Pensioners’ Day since 2002 and every year comes with its prospect and challenges.
He enumerated some of the challenges facing the union to include, the deliberate disregard of pensioners, and most especially, the constitutional requirements to section 173 (3) and 210(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic, as amended.
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It stipulates that there should be a pension review every five years, or together with an increase in workers salaries or whichever comes first.
Muhammad noted that Governor Bello Mohammed had promised to continue to release N100 million gratuities to the state and local government pensioners, each, of which is yet to be fulfilled that promise he made to them.
He explained that the payment of contributory pension to eligible beneficiaries was in progress, though the exercise stopped due to some reasons.
The State Chairman lamented that the inability to have a minimum pension is very disheartening because many pensioners still receive less than N3,000 a month.
The union therefore called for upward review of the pension allowance which had not been done since 1999.
It also demanded that all outstanding gratuities of pensioners should be cleared with the minimum pension increased to at least N30,000 a month.
The chairman assured the members that the union would continue to channel its effort towards fighting to improve their welfare.
( Editor: Omor Bazuaye)
