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Pensioners Urge Fed Govt to Pay Outstanding Benefits

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Pensioners

Pensioners under the umbrella of the Association of Retired Senior Public Officers of Nigeria (ARFESPON) have appealed to the Federal Government to pay them all outstanding pension benefits.

They are also asking the government to stop the disparity in payment of pension benefits between its members and their serving counterparts.

ARFESPON is made up of retired management level officers from salary grade level 14 to Permanent Secretaries, Comptrollers-General of Customs, Immigration and Prisons and career Ambassadors.

The President of the Lagos State chapter of the association, Olufemi Odewabi, while speaking with reporters in Lagos said government currently owes its members 30-month pension benefits.

According to him, the government is yet to implement the 53.4 per cent pension increase following salary increase it effected for federal public workers in 2010, which by stipulations of the law of the federation should supply to retirement benefits of pensioners.

He said: “The Federal Government is yet to listen to yearnings of retired senior public officers. We have been pleading with government to totally effect the 2010 increase in our pension benefits and to end the era of disparity in the payment of retirement benefits to pensioners.

“The government had during the regime of Goodluck Jonathan effected 53.4 per cent increase in the salaries of public office workers and failed to do same for pensioners. Section 173, sub-section 3 of the Constitution of Nigeria states that pension shall be reviewed every five years or together with any federal civil service salary review, whichever is earlier.”

“When we reacted to government’s non-compliance with the above section of the law regarding the increase it made in the salaries of its workers in 2010, the government set up a committee to review our case. But the committee went contrary to the position of the Constitution on the issue and recommended 33 per cent increase for the pensioners against 53.4 per cent effected on federal workers’ salaries.”

This, according to Odewabi, left the pensioners with a short change of 20.4 percent. He lamented that rather than pay the 33 per cent increase recommended by the committee in full, government has been paying in installments. He appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to clear the 30 months arrears and pay up the sum total of the 20.4 per cent deducted by the committee.

He noted that his members were right in their demand for payment of the 20.4 percent deductions because all the reasons given by the committee for the deductions were wrong, adding that the tax percentage deducted by the committee was against Section 173, sub-section 4 of the Constitution of Nigeria, which states that pensioners in respect of service in the public service of the federation shall not be taxed.

He said the per cent deducted for contributory pension scheme was wrong because all his members are under the Defined Benefit old scheme and have nothing to do with Contributory Scheme.

“The Federal Housing Scheme, for which the committee deducted 2.5 per cent should not be because his members are no longer under the housing scheme. The deductions are illegal and I urge President Buhari to listen to our cries and pay both the outstanding 30 months and the 20.4 per cent deductions. We also want the President to intervene in the harmonisation of disparity existing in payments between serving and retired public officers.”

Is the CEO/Founder of Investors King Limited. A proven foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Businessinsider, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and many more. He has over two decades of experience in global financial markets.

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Government

Senate Suspends Senator Abdul Ningi for 3 Months Over Budget Padding Allegations

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Abdul-Ahmed-Ningi

The Senate has announced the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi for three months following his allegations of budget padding to the tune of N3.7 trillion in the 2024 budget.

Ningi, who represents Bauchi Central and chairs the Senate Committee on Population, had made the claims in a recent interview with the Hausa service of the BBC.

During a plenary session, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, raised a motion to address Ningi’s allegations, citing the urgent need to address what he termed as “false allegations.”

The transcript of Ningi’s interview was read on the Senate floor, prompting deliberation on the appropriate action to take.

Initially, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim proposed a 12-month suspension for Ningi, but Senator Chris Ekpeyong moved to reduce it to six months.

Eventually, Senator Garba Maidoki amended the motion further, suggesting a three-month suspension.

The amended motion was put to a voice vote, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the decision to suspend Ningi for three months.

Following the ruling, Ningi was escorted out of the Senate chamber by the Sergeants-at-arms.

The suspension comes amidst division within the Senate over Ningi’s claims, with some senators disowning his allegations and calling for a thorough investigation.

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Government

Ekiti Governor Unveils Multi-Billion Naira Relief Programmes Amid Economic Crisis

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Biodun Oyebanji

Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, has announced a comprehensive relief package aimed at alleviating the hardship faced by the people of the state.

The relief programs encompass various sectors to cushion the impact of the economic downturn.

One of the key initiatives entails clearing salary arrears amounting to over N2.7 billion owed to both State and Local Government workers.

This move signifies the government’s commitment to addressing the financial burdens faced by its workforce.

Furthermore, Governor Oyebanji has approved a substantial increase of N600 million per month in the subvention of autonomous institutions, including the Judiciary and tertiary institutions.

This augmentation is intended to enable these institutions to implement wage awards in alignment with State and Local Government workers’ salaries.

In addition to addressing salary arrears, the relief programs extend to pensioners, with the approval of payments totaling N1.5 billion for two months’ pension arrears.

Moreover, an increase in the monthly gratuity payment to state pensioners and local government pensioners will provide additional financial support, totaling N200 million monthly.

The relief initiatives also encompass agricultural and small-scale business sectors.

The allocation of funds for food production and livestock transformation projects underscores the government’s commitment to enhancing food security and economic sustainability at the grassroots level.

Governor Oyebanji emphasized that these relief programs are part of the state’s concerted efforts to mitigate the adverse effects of the economic downturn and foster shared prosperity.

The comprehensive nature of the initiatives reflects a proactive approach towards addressing the challenges faced by Ekiti State residents.

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President Tinubu Orders Immediate Settlement of N342m Electricity Bill for Presidential Villa

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power project

President Bola Tinubu has directed the prompt settlement of a N342 million outstanding electricity bill owed by the Presidential Villa to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).

This move comes in response to the reconciliation of accounts between the State House Management and the AEDC.

The AEDC had earlier threatened to disconnect electricity services to the Presidential Villa and 86 Federal Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) over a total outstanding debt of N47.20 billion as of December 2023.

Contrary to the initial claim by the AEDC that the State House owed N923 million in electricity bills, the Presidency clarified that the actual outstanding amount is N342.35 million.

This discrepancy underscores the importance of accurate accounting and reconciliation between entities.

In a statement signed by President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency affirmed the commitment to settle the debt promptly.

Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila assured that the debt would be paid to the AEDC before the end of the week.

The directive from the Presidency extends beyond the State House, as Gbajabiamila urged other MDAs to reconcile their accounts with the AEDC and settle their outstanding electricity bills.

The AEDC, on its part, issued a 10-day notice to the affected government agencies to settle their debts or face disconnection.

This development highlights the importance of financial accountability and responsible management of public utilities.

It also underscores the necessity for government entities to fulfill their financial obligations to service providers promptly, ensuring uninterrupted services and avoiding potential disruptions.

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