A’Ibom Pensioners Urge Gov Eno To Extend Palliatives, Living Minimum Pension To Them
Retirees under the aegis of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) Akwa Ibom State Council have appealed to the Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, to include them in the list of those that would receive palliative items as well as the living minimum pension arrangement.
Addressing a press conference in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, on Thursday, the Chairman of the NUP, Obong E.D. Ekpo, said the Akwa Ibom State government has not included the NUP in its palliative scheme, stressing that most of them are vulnerable, weak and may not have the required energy to pull through in the current economic hardship.
He also appealed to the state government to honour the directive and approval of the federal government by implementing the minimum living pension.
“We want the governor, Pastor Umo Eno, to know that palliatives have not reached the pensioners, and he should do something about it. He should also honour the approval of the federal government by implementing the minimum living pension,” he said.
Earlier, the state secretary of NUP, Obong Cosmas Essien, while reading the statement, thanked Governor Eno for paying the accumulated gratuities to the civil pensioners up to 2018, local government pensioners to 2014, and retired primary school teachers to 2012.
Related: A’Ibom: Pensioners Laud Gov. Eno Over Increments, Urge Implementation In Arrears
He urged the governor to impress it on SUBEB to include NUP in the committee for the payment of gratuity to the retired primary school teachers and next-of-kin.
On the recent financial autonomy of the local government, the Secretary appealed to Governor Eno to set up a body or committee that could emanate from the state pension commission or board saddled with the responsibility of controlling the direct payment of salaries and pensions to teachers and local government staff.
Obong Essien emphasised that the commission or board, when established, would create a channel through which pensioners can convey their prayers or matters and form a reliable and authentic source of information on issues about pensioners to the governor.
“All these departments shall collate all the problems of all pensioners as related to their department, discuss them as a board, find solutions, and treat them, and His Excellency will only receive a single report and not multiple,” he noted.
The NUP also appreciated Governor Eno for adding N20,000 and N15,000 to the pensions of all pensioners up to 2011 who had a low pension base ranging from N1000 to N5000.
They urged him to implement the consequential adjustment and 20% pension review in accordance with the circular first issued by the Salaries and Wages Commission.
