Pensioners appeal to President Tinubu,  Govs’ Forum to release bail-out funds to settle outstanding arrears  – Crime Channels

Pensioners appeal to President Tinubu,  Govs’ Forum to release bail-out funds to settle outstanding arrears

The National President of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Godwin Abumisi, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and state governors to release bailout funds to settle all outstanding pensions accrued to pensioners across the country.

Abumisi spoke during the celebration of this year’s Pensioners’ Day at the weekend in Abuja.

The union leader said many states were owing trillions of naira in retirement benefits to pensioners.

He said many pensioners in state and local governments across the country have died without enjoying the fruits of their labour as a result of non-payment of their pensions for many years and total denial of their gratuities.

“As the president of the union, this neglect gives me sleepless nights, especially when legitimate and legal rights are denied to these senior citizens.

“Let me call on Mr. President and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) to put this matter as one of the priority of the government to release bailout funds to the state governments to settle all the outstanding pensions accrued to pensioners across the country,” he said.

According to him, pensioners have been denied the benefits of a review of their pension or increment every five years, as provided by the 1999 Constitution and other extant pension laws enjoyed by their federal counterparts.

Abumisi urged President Tinubu to put in place necessary government instruments towards making funds available for the payment of omitted pension review of 2015, which he said would serve as a palliative to put smiles on the faces of pensioners in the country.