Akwa Ibom pensioners demand govt palliative

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Akwa Ibom State chapter, has appealed to Governor Umo Eno to include members in the list of beneficiaries of government palliative packages and the living minimum pension arrangement.

The state NUP chairman, Ekpenyong Ekpo, made the demand during a press conference held at the union’s secretariat at Uko Eshiet Street, Uyo, the state capital, on Thursday.

He lamented that the government had excluded members of the union from previous palliative distribution, adding that such was not good for a union whose members were either old or sick.

“My only point is that the palliative items to help the downtrodden did not reach the pensioners. We believe that if the pensioners, the majority of them very old and sick people, are listed in the palliative arrangements, it will go a long way to keep them.

“The government should also honour the approval of the Federal Government by implementing the minimum living pension,” Ekpo said.

Earlier, the Secretary of the union, Cosmas Essien, who read the press statement text, appreciated the governor for paying the accumulated gratuities to the civil service pensioners up to 2018, Local Government pensioners up to 2014 and retired primary school teachers up to 2012.

He urged the governor to impress on SUBEB to include the NUP in the committee for the payment of gratuity to the retired primary school teachers and the next of kin.

Essien appealed to the governor to establish a pension commission or board, given the autonomy granted LGs in the country.

He added that such a board should be saddled with the responsibility of controlling the direct payment of salaries and pensions to teachers and LG staff.

Essien further said that the commission or board, when established, would create a channel through which pensioners could convey their requests or matters to the governor and get reliable information on issues about them.

The union appreciated the governor for the N20,000 added to all pensioners up to 2011 who were in low pension base of between N1,000 and N5,000 and urged him to implement the consequential adjustment and 20 per cent pension review based on the circular issued by the Salaries and Wages Commission.