Plenty NITEL–MTEL pensioners on Tuesday block the front gate of Federal Ministry of Finance for Abuja as dem protest to demand payment of their 35 months pension wey still never reach their hand.
Di protest wey Progressive NITEL–MTEL Pensioners’ Forum organise pull hundreds of elderly people — many wey look weak — as dem accuse government of “wicked neglect and deliberate exclusion” even after many years of service under the Defined Benefits Scheme (DBS).
Di retirees sing solidarity songs, carry placards and point hand at Ministry of Finance, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) and Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), say all the agencies abandon dem.
Dem talk say this government inherit 36 months arrears but na only one month dem don pay, meaning 35 months still dey.
Some of the pensioners wey yarn with journalists talk say many of their members don die because dem no get money for drugs, food and basic survival.
“We no dey beg anybody. We work for this country,” one old man talk. “Government pay others under DBS but leave us behind.”
One big vex wey pensioners carry come be their exclusion from the ₦32,000 pension increase wey other DBS pensioners enjoy. Dem call am discrimination and attempt to erase NITEL–MTEL people from Nigeria pension system.
Their demands include:
Make government pay the remaining 35 months arrears;
Include dem inside the ₦32,000 pension increase and pay all backlog;
Pay the 12.95% 2020 increase wey still dey;
Clear the 10.66% 2015 adjustment;
Release the ₦25,000 palliative;
Pay death benefits to families of retired staff wey don die;
Put verified pensioners for payroll since 2018;
Make PTAD, NSIWC and Finance Ministry work together make delay end.
Forum spokesperson, Okey Ifepe, accuse government of “killing pensioners softly with silence and long process.”
“Any day wey justice delay, one pensioner fit die quietly,” he talk. “We come out today because we no wan remain invisible.”
