By NANA MUSA

Some pensioners have urged the Federal Government to pay the N32, 000 pension increment according to the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act, 2024.

The pensioners, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday, said they needed their entitlements to take care of their feeding, medicals and other bills.

The pensioners, who complained about the hard times they faced, urged the Federal Government to increase their monthly pension In line with the present economic reality.

The National Public Relations Officer (PRO), the Nigeria Union of Pensioners Contributory Pension Scheme Sector (NUPCPS), Mr Etheleert Ibeh, urged the government to pay all outstanding arrears of increment.

He said that the pensioners had not received any pension increment whereas, minimum wage had been increased so many times.

Ibeh said that according to the act, anytime there was an increment in minimum wage, a certain percentage would be added to the pension.

According to him, non-pensioners and pensioners buy things from the same market.

?Before, we receive little pension that we can hardly survive on. And now, with the economic hardship, we still receive the same money. This makes it difficult for us to survive.

?Some of was still have children in school, how do they pay their school fees? Some live in a rented apartment, how do they pay? How do we feed and pay for medical bills?

?Once you get to 60 years, you can no longer access your health insurance, whereas, it is that period you need it most,? he said.

Mrs Obialunanma Uzor, who retired as a Deputy Director, said that nothing had been paid to her since she retired in May 2024, and her health insurance had been stopped.

?My NHIS that was stopped immediately after my retirement has been a huge challenge, I spend a lot on lab tests and drugs instead of just ten per cent.

?We pensioners need health insurance, we are old and need medical attention now,? Uzor said.

Mrs Ogheneyukaro Gloria, another pensioner, said that some Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) were not sincere with their operations.

?They operate selectively. They usually attend to pensioners who choose to remain with programmed withdrawal and ignore those who choose annuity.

?They should not compel us to be where it benefits them. We have the right to make our decisions since our money is involved,? she said.

Gloria urged the regulators to investigate and monitor operations of the PFAs.

Alhaji Musa Adamu, who retired as a Director in May 2024, said that he had not received his benefits to date.

?We are still waiting for the Federal Government to release the accrued rights to my PFA to calculate my pension.

?My family and I are hungry. I cannot pay my children?s school fees.

?My landlord is on my neck, and to top it all, I cannot access the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) anymore.

?If you look into my eyes, you will know that I need urgent medical attention. We, the pensioners in this country, are suffering,? he said.

NAN reports that programmed withdrawal is a retirement plan offered by PFAs for monthly/quarterly payments to a retiree for a lifetime.

Also, annuity is a retirement plan purchased from an approved life insurance company that provides monthly or quarterly income to the retiree during his/her lifetime. (NAN)

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