The issue of pension and gratuity has always been a burden on Nigerian Government.
Worse still is that every year, the money is being made available to the government but yet it is being diverted towards other things unaccounted for.
It is quite unfortunate indeed that state government appears to share friendly relationship with pensioners, hence prolonging the struggle and frustrations pensioners face to get their entitlement. Most if not all the 36 state governments owe salaries, gratuity and pension with impunity
Many retirees and pensioners in different states have died while many other are suffering greatly due to non-payment of their benefits. The Nigeria Union of Pensioners seems not to be protecting their members’ interest either as they are silent about the non payment of pension.
It is also written in the Bible that every workers deserves his/her wages but here in Nigeria the reverse is always the case, as our government would rather subject every worker to hardship and still not pay them.
Almost 20 years after the contributory pension came into being through the Pension Reform Act of 2004, it is very unfortunate that most states are unable to come to an agreement with the new policies attributing their loopholes to the downfall of revenue from Crude Oil sales which is also another key factor responsible for the delay in salary and pension payment of workers.
For instance, states like Abia State is owing 20 years of gratuity and 38 months of pension and arrears while Ogun state is owing about nine years of gratuity and pension deductions spanning over 21 months. Other notable state owing huge figures of gratuity are: Lagos, Cross River, Anambra, Ekiti. It is so pitiable that the issue of pension and Gratuity is a huge challenge for sitting governors as they seems to also blame it on past governors.
While we seem to blame the governors for non payment of pension and gratuity, it is also imperative to note that another challenge for non payment is the issue of GHOST WORKERS OR GHOST PENSION. Most of the immoral Civil Servants while still in active service engage in padding the workforce and this leads to colossal pension figures for the state government to pay.
The issue of GHOST WORKERS has always being a thing of persistent in the public sector but however the state government must not always wait till its too late to cry. There are new technologies devices to be able to spot out ghost workers.
Despite all of these, I am urging all state governments to brace up and rise to their responsibilities to ensure they pay all backlog of pension and gratuity as all workers deserves their wages. They worked hard for it, so it is inhumane not to pay them while working and after retirement.
I am currently networking with CSOs (Civil Society Organisations) in the 36 states including the federal capital. One Love Foundation is going to file a class Law action suit on behalf of our Mothers, Fathers, brothers and sisters who have been deprived by our clueless government.
Senior Advocate to the Masses (SAM).
Chief Dr Patrick Osagie Eholor,
President One Love Foundation Otherwise Known as Ultimate Equal.