By NANA HAUWA MUSA

Many pensioners in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have expressed frustration over the delay in the payment of pension arrears.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Executive Council (FEC), had in February approved N758 billion Treasury Bond for payment of the arrears.

NAN reports that this is subject to approval by the National Assembly for implementation, which it gave on July 22.

The bond was to clear all government liabilities under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) for retirees for more than decades.

Following the protest by the pensioners over the delay in payment, President Bola Tinubu directed the expedited rollout of free healthcare access initiative for low-income retirees under the CPS.

The president also directed prompt implementation of long-overdue pension increases and a minimum pension guarantee, which would provide a safety net for the most vulnerable pensioners under the CPS.

The pensioners, who decried over their sufferings, also urged the immediate implementation of the N758 billion Treasury bond to increase their monthly pension in line with the present economic reality.

In an interview with NAN, Mr Mohammed Yusuf, urged the Federal Government to pay all their arrears immediately to enable them invest or do something tangible with it, not waiting until they die while waiting for promises.

“Some of us are dying, we need to enjoy our money before we die, just last week, four pensioners died due to hunger, no money for hospital bills, frustration, no money for house rent and cannot take care of their families.

“We keep hearing that there is no money but there is money to pay the sports players,” he said.

Yusuf said that most civil servants are poor, and while in service cannot afford to buy a house, have any investment or own a business, they were dedicated to their jobs.

“The salary was poor, no housing allocation for civil servants which is not supposed to be so.

“Other countries give affordable housing to their workers but ours is different,’’ he said.

Mr Eze Okorei, said that some workers could not afford three meals, adding that it more difficult for pensioners.

“We were happy after the announcement by the president that we are going to be paid as well as be given free healthcare access but when will all the promises be implemented.

“Our hopes were raised and some have died while waiting for the money to be paid. We are begging for the immediate implementation, we are too old to be on the streets,” he said.

Mr Lawal Sani said that the arrears should be paid in lump sum.

“We need to do something valuable with the money because if its given to us bit by bit, we will not be able to do something tangible with it.

“If mine is given to me, I will relocate to my home town and start farming and I know some other pensioners have their own plans too,” he said.

Sani commended the president for his efforts to clear all the arrears, and also urged others involved in the implementation to be serious.

Mrs Farida Shehu said they were going through a lot, adding that some pensioners had died in the struggle.

“My family and I are hungry. I can’t pay my children’s school fees. My landlord is on my neck and to top it all, I can’t 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.

“After working hard, if I knew I would suffer like this, I would not have given them the services I gave them,” he said.

Mr Wale Wasiu urged the Federal Government to come to their aid, saying: “today I can’t feed myself, see how my face is, its hunger.

“The economy is so harsh, we don’t have anything to live on now, every year they will tell us in the media that pension fund asset has increased, why are pensioners not paid?

“We have a constitution in the country that every five years salaries will be increased and pension will increase too,” he said.

Wasiu said they need their arrears so they could cater for their families and start a small business. (NAN)

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