The Kogi State Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners, Clement Ohida has appealed to Governor Ahmed Ododo to extend the recent improvement in the payments of pensioners in the state to Local Government pensioners.
Ohida said the appeal became necessary because “as of today no local government pensioners has been paid a dime as far as gratuity is concerned.”
Ohida said this shortly after the Central Working Committee Meeting of the Union held in Lokoja on Wednesday.
He however appreciated Governor Ododo over what he described as an “appreciable improvement in the percentage payments made to Pensioners after the payment of February pension.”
He also appealed for the harmonisation of pensions for pensioners who retired several years back.
The NUP chairman opined that the payment of 100 per cent pension to pensioners in the state is achievable based on the Federal Government policy asking that all arrears of pension be cleared.
He maintained that “while we are appreciating the State Government for where we are, we believe that payment of 100% pension is achievable.
“We call on the government to look into the aspect of payment of gratuity as this will help cushion the economic situation of our pensioners.”
The NUP Chairman said it is not normal that Pensioners should be paid a percentage pension, adding that, the appreciation the Union is making is occasioned by the fact that Local Government Pensioners have had to live with a percentage payment of pension for several years.
He said, “We are coming from a situation where Pensioners have had to live with 30-35 per cent of their pension for whatever reason. But progressively we’re now on 85 per cent reason for the appreciation.
“We are not unaware that many of our people are not happy about this development of percentage pension. But the fact that whatever you cannot get by fighting, you may not have a choice but to apply diplomacy to still arrive at it.
“As a union, we’re ready to bend backwards, the reason why we’re appreciating the Government and also asking for more in the areas of 100 per cent payment of pension, harmonisation and payment of gratuity.
“We equally appeal to the State Government on the need to harmonise pension in the state. We have pensioners who retired several years back and what they take is nothing to write home about.
“Some states have implemented what is called minimum pension making Pensioners take home something reasonable. In Kogi, we still have Pensioners who take as little as N5000. Now when that amount is paid based on percentage, you can imagine what it means for such a pensioner.”
He assured the present administration of the support and cooperation of pensioners in the state.