The Kwara State Pensioners Renewed Hope Forum, an affiliate of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), has commended the state chapter of NUP for its recent advocacy on pensioners’ welfare.
The forum, which represents the interests of retirees in the state, held a press conference in Ilorin, where key representatives, including Comrade Saka Oladele Idris, Prince Reuben Lanre Olatunde, and Aina Felix, reiterated their demands for urgent government intervention.
Key Demands Of The Union
1. Implementation of Consequential Pension Adjustment for N30,000 Minimum Wage
The forum expressed disappointment that, despite the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage for civil servants, pensioners were excluded from the adjustment. They urged the Kwara State Government to domesticate and implement the National Salaries, Income, and Wages Commission’s circular on pension rate reviews, aligning pension payments with those of their counterparts in other states.
2. Inclusion in the N70,000 Minimum Wage Policy
With the Federal Government’s recent announcement of a N70,000 minimum wage, retirees expected to benefit alongside active civil servants. However, the forum lamented that pensioners were sidelined during negotiations. They emphasized that pensioners shop in the same markets as civil servants and face similar economic challenges, making their inclusion imperative.
3. Payment of Outstanding Gratuities
The forum decried the irregular and insufficient monthly allocation of ₦150 million for gratuity payments, stating that retirees from as far back as 2010 or 2015 (depending on state or local government levels) are yet to receive their entitlements. Reports also allege that a portion of these funds is being diverted, leaving some pensioners receiving as little as ₦50,000 or ₦100,000 in staggered payments against their actual entitlements, which could be in the millions.
The forum called on Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to significantly increase gratuity allocations or source funds to clear the backlog, citing examples of neighboring states that have settled pension arrears.
4. Restoration of Skipped Palliative Payments
The pensioners noted that while they initially benefited from the ₦10,000 monthly palliative introduced in 2023, payments were suspended in October and November before resuming in December. They appealed for the settlement of the skipped months, stressing that pensioners continue to struggle under harsh economic conditions.
5. Establishment of a Health Insurance Scheme for Pensioners
Highlighting the health challenges faced by retirees due to job hazards encountered during their service years, the forum advocated for the creation of a Health Insurance Scheme specifically for pensioners. They urged the state government to adopt best practices from other states that have implemented similar schemes.
A Call to Action
The forum emphasized that pensioners, after years of dedicated service, deserve to be respected and supported, rather than being subjected to financial hardship.
“We have been suffering neglect since the introduction of the N30,000 minimum wage, and we do not want to be ignored again,” the forum stated. “A retiree who was due ₦5 million in 2017 cannot achieve the same goals with ₦15 million today due to inflation. Delayed payments only worsen our conditions.”
The forum urged Governor AbdulRazaq, as the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), to set a national example by prioritizing pensioners’ welfare.
“Pensioners should be envied, not pitied,” they concluded.
With these renewed calls for action, all eyes are on the Kwara State Government to see if meaningful steps will be taken to address the plight of pensioners in the state.
