The president of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Godwin Abumisi, expresses his views to DANIEL AYANTOYE regarding the union's demand for an increase in pensions, along with other related matters.
For many years, retirees have expressed dissatisfaction with low income levels. Will this issue ever be resolved?
For quite some time now, we've raised concerns with the federal government. The issue in Nigeria lies in the fact that although laws are enacted, they often go unheeded. Article 173 of the 1999 Constitution (amended) explicitly mentions that individuals leaving public employment are eligible for a pension and lump sum payment. Furthermore, it stipulates that this entitlement should not be withheld or subjected to any unfavorable treatment towards retirees.
Additionally, the provision requires that pensions must be raised every five years, or whenever the federal government increases employees' wages, depending on which occurs earlier. Had this been carried out regularly, Nigerian retirees would not be expressing dissatisfaction. Regrettably, this has not been put into effect.
Retirees are calling for an increase in their pensions, from N32,000 to N60,000. What led to this request?
We are making this request due to the current situation where employees receive at least N70,000 as a minimum salary. While the Constitution doesn't set a specific minimum retirement benefit, we feel our compensation should increase from N32,000 to N60,000 since we shop in the same places as the workers.
The increasing price of food and essential items, particularly after the abrupt cancellation of fuel subsidies, has created challenges. The suggested amount of N60,000 aims to provide assistance so that people can manage daily necessities and maintain a reasonable standard of living.
Given today's financial situation, do you believe N60,000 would suffice?
No, N60,000 is insufficient. Nevertheless, we can’t request anything higher than the employees' minimum salary. As employees currently receive N70,000, we are proposing N60,000. Every time employee wages increase, we also anticipate a similar change in our retirement benefits and bonuses. At this moment, we must stay below the employees' pay scale.
What number of your members have passed away as a result of difficulties stemming from low wages over the past five years?
Without reviewing the documentation and requesting our state committees to supply the count of their members who passed away before receiving their pensions and benefits, I am unable to present an accurate statistic. Nonetheless, I can inform you that the number is substantial and deeply troubling.
Certain elderly individuals continue to receive as low as N5,000 per month in some regions. This is why I would like to praise the Governor of Kano State, His Excellency Kabir Yusuf. Upon taking up his position, he encountered a large accumulation of unpaid pensions and retirement benefits, which he resolved to address immediately. To date, he has settled the fifth installment of these overdue payments, totaling approximately N27 billion. He is settling both pension backlogs and remaining retirement bonuses, and we recognize his dedication.
Do you remember any instance where a coworker passed away due to unclaimed benefits?
Indeed, several elderly individuals have lost their lives as a result of despair. Many retirees depend entirely on their pension payments. It is incorrect to say that numerous of them have offspring residing overseas who can provide support. When their pensions are postponed or not paid at all, they face hunger, endure hardship, and some ultimately pass away. It is embarrassing that following 65 years of independence, people in Nigeria continue to perish simply because they cannot obtain their pensions and retirement benefits.
In various nations, older individuals get financial assistance or community aid, yet here, minimal regard is shown towards seniors. Individuals who dedicated themselves to the nation frequently face hardship. Nonetheless, I should praise the present government led by President Bola Tinubu for initiating actions aimed at enhancing the well-being of retirees.
What actions is your organization taking to deal with the postponement or inability of the government to disburse pensions as entitled?
In Nigeria, regrettably, some people wrongly present themselves as retirees. Once these individuals are identified and taken off the payroll, they start causing disturbances. However, real pensioners always contact us at the National Headquarters of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners when their payments are postponed or halted.
We act right away, and after confirmation, the individual is added back to the payroll and receives all outstanding payments. Nevertheless, we do not support individuals who falsely claim pensions they are not eligible for. Our union advocates solely for rightful pension recipients.
What makes you think that way, especially when numerous people are expressing difficulties within the nation, which is why you're also requesting an increase in pension amounts?
Indeed, there are challenges within the economy, primarily because of certain governmental financial strategies, particularly the elimination of the fuel subsidy. In my view, the cancellation of this subsidy shouldn't have happened all at once; it might have been better introduced step by step to enable the economy to adapt more smoothly.
Nevertheless, this is now part of history. At times, difficult choices can lead to lasting advantages. I am among those who think the economy is starting to experience the favorable outcomes of certain measures implemented by the current government.
Reviewing pension increases has consistently proven challenging for the government. With increasing inflation rates, what are your thoughts on adjusting pensions every two years rather than every five years?
Certainly. The current Constitution states that pensions must be evaluated every five years, regardless of whether inflation occurs. However, I believe it should be assessed every two years. This adjustment would assist retirees in managing increasing living expenses and ensure their income corresponds with the nation's inflation level.
It poses challenges for all retirees, regardless of whether they were former law enforcement officers or ex-civil servants. The income provided in this nation, even for those still employed, falls short of supporting their households. Nigeria requires a built-in mechanism for adjusting both salaries and pensions. This approach is implemented in advanced nations.
For example, in Britain, when the costs of basic items such as bread or eggs rise and stay elevated for some time, employees' wages are automatically updated to match this shift. We do not possess such a mechanism here. In our nation, individuals must engage in disputes, walk out, or demonstrate prior to receiving any raise. This is one aspect of the issue.
If the authorities do not address your requests, what actions will your organization take?
If they fail to reply, we'll understand what steps to take. We're currently vulnerable and without support since we've left work. Employees can organize strikes, yet we, being retirees, lack this ability. We aren’t able to start a strike, but we can gather our members for nonviolent demonstrations—perhaps even holding rallies in public areas. Still, I sincerely wish it won't come to that.
If you have the opportunity to meet with President Bola Tinubu, what will you tell him?
I will tell him exactly what I’ve told you. I will commend him for his efforts to improve Nigeria’s economy. I understand that reforms often come with pain, but the suffering is becoming too much for ordinary Nigerians.
Several individuals have expressed dissatisfaction with pension fund administrators not releasing funds intended for departed relatives. What is the present status?
Indeed, this has been a significant issue among certain pension fund managers. As you are aware, the board of the National Pension Commission was disbanded, which has restricted our capabilities.
Once the board is reconstituted, we, as representatives of pensioners, will raise and address these issues. I want to use this opportunity to call on President Tinubu to reconstitute the PENCOM board without further delay.
Supplied by SyndiGate Media Inc. ( Syndigate.info ).
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