Minimum Wage: Approve Living Pension For Pensioners, FEPPPAN Urges Tinubu
Says living condition of pensioners in Nigeria horrible
By People’s Voice Nigeria | News
The Federal Parastatals and Private Sector Pensioners Association of Nigeria (FEPPPAN), has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to show compassion to Nigerian pensioners by instructing the committee negotiating the new minimum wage to recommend a living pension for retirees.
The pensioners made the call in a communique jointly signed by its Acting President-General and General Secretary, Alhaji Babaji Magaji and Franklin Erinle after the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Wednesday in Abuja, described the living conditions of pensioners in Nigeria as horrible.
According to him, the thought of retiring to the suffering pensioners in the country was subjected to was a major reason why many workers perpetuate and aid corruption just to have enough for the rainy days.
While stressing that pensioners more than any other group of people in the country deserve sustainable pay, the union called on the government across all levels to prioritize the welfare of citizens, especially pensioners.
The communique partly reads: “Paying a living wage to retirees would discourage workers from indulging in corrupt practices trying to amass much wealth at the detriment of the progress and development of the nation. When workers know they have a living pension, they will be less scared of what they will live on in retirement.
“The citizens are the most important thing in everything about the existence of a nation. Therefore, it is only natural that improving the living conditions of the people you govern should be at the top of the to-do list of the government.
“Therefore, we are calling on the President to renew the hope of workers in trusting that they won’t be worse off when they retire by giving Nigerian pensioners of today a living pension. Everyone working today will retire someday and for that reason, we equally call on the National Assembly and every worker in Nigeria to help us beg the president to give us a living pension.”
The pensioners further urged President Tinubu to kickstart his act of compassion on Nigerian pensioners by paying the N25,000 palliative he promised them last year as a result of hardship caused by the fuel subsidy removal.
“We entered another level of suffering since the fuel subsidy was removed and prices of goods and services skyrocketed. Then came the promise for palliative by President Tinubu, and our hope and spirit were lifted. It’s been months and we are still expecting. We don’t want to believe that the words of Mr. President will go unfulfilled.
Therefore, we are pleading with him to fulfil his promise by paying us the N25,000 palliative while we wait for the pronouncement and approval of a living pension.
“Like many of us, Mr. President is an aged man and we expect him to understand our situation better than any other person. So we urge him to hear our call and take immediate action to support us.
“At this juncture, we reiterate that the welfare of Nigerians especially pensioners should be prioritized. The government must give Nigerian workers of today a good reason to have hope and to faithfully serve our fatherland.
“We pray Mr. President to please think things through before taking any action that is likely to ruin the lives of pensioners and a system that is perfectly discharging its duties. We are talking about the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD).
“What we suffered in the hands of some people before the advent of PTAD is what we don’t want to think about let alone go through it again. If anything at all must be done, please Mr. President rather make PTAD more efficient and effective than scraping it. This is part of the act of compassion we are asking of you.
“The living pension and palliative we are asking for will easily get to us through PTAD than any other system that may start afresh. Let PTAD continue to work for pensioners. We urge you.”
