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Pensioners in Peaceful Protest Demands Implementation of Unpaid 15% Increment by PenCom

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pension funds - Investors King

Nigeria’s pensioners under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) have appealed to the National Pension Commission (PenCom) to implement their 15 and 33 percent pension increment and other benefits.

The Contributory Pensioners Union of Nigeria (CPUN), South-West Zone, made the appeal on Tuesday during a peaceful protest held in Ibadan.

The CPUN President, Mr Joseph Idowu, while addressing newsmen said that PenCom has yet to implement the increment since 2007 and 2010 in spite of various promises.

Idowu said that their counterparts, under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS), had been enjoying the increment through the proactive stand of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD).

“The new consequential adjustment in pension due to the latest increase in workers’ salaries and wages are also being enjoyed by pensioners under DBS, neglecting the CPS pensioners.

“No CPS pensioners have received any interest on their accrued benefits since 2007 till date.

“We require your urgent attention to ensure that arrears on this are calculated and paid at the Federal Government official rate, as at the time of retirement,” Idowu said.

The president said that his members were suffering as some of them collect as low as N3, 000 as their monthly pension which was not accepted.

Idowu, also said that his members were not happy with the delay in the payment of their retirement benefits, which the commission now paid after one year of retirement, contrary to PRA Act 2004 (Amended).

He said that Section 16 (5) of the PRA Act 2004 says pensioners should be paid not more than three months after retirement.

Idowu, however, commended the commission for prompt payment of their monthly pension, urging them to prioritize the welfare of pensioners under the CPS.

Also, a member of the union, Mrs Clara Fumilayo, called on the Federal Government to assist the pensioners,

Fumilayo said that their monthly pension could no more buy any tangible things based on the situation in the country.

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Bbnaija’s Wanni Wins Innoson Car Challenge, Secures First Vehicle with Twin Sister

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One of the twins’ housemates in the Bbnaija season 9 competition, Wanni Danbaki, popularly known as Wanni, has emerged as the winner of the Innoson car challenge.

As the Nigerian reality competition Television show Big Brother Naija heads towards the grand finale, Wanni won the Innoson car challenge on Wednesday, October 2, 2024.

In this year’s Bbnaija titled No Loose Guard, the car challenge was sponsored by Innoson to assess the housemates’ endurance and resilience.

In a post on Instagram, Innoson captioned the challenge, “Biggie said, ‘Let’s spice things up.’ Now it’s a bucket, a bottle of water, and one hand. It’s like a gym session nobody signed up for!”

“Using one hand to hold a bucket of dreams, but their faces say they’re holding onto survival itself. Keep going, IVM Ikenga is worth it!” the caption continued.

The challenge was split into four rounds, with housemates disqualified for failing to complete the tasks.

Eight housemates, including Kellyrae, Nelly, Anita, Sooj, Victoria, Wanni, Ozee, and Onyeka, participated in the challenge, but Wanni ultimately emerged as the winner.

Filled with excitement, Wanni, in an on-air announcement to her twin sister Handi, exclaimed, “Handi, we got a car! Handi, we got a car, our first car baby!”.

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Travel

Many Nigerians Disappointed as FG Refuses to Subsidise Hiked Passport Fees

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Nigerian International passport- Investors King

Many Nigerians have expressed their displeasure following the announcement by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Friday that the Federal Government would not reduce nor subsidise the rate of purchasing the international passport in the country.

Justifying the recent increase in passport fees, he clarified that the rise was approximately 45%, attributing the fee adjustment to the exchange rate between the dollar and the naira.

As per the new structure, the cost of a 32-page passport booklet with a five-year validity increased from N35,000 to N50,000, while a 64-page passport booklet with a 10-year validity rose from N70,000 to N100,000.

Meanwhile, some Nigerians who had in August kicked against the new price when the Nigerian Immigration Service announced an upward review of the fees for Nigerian Standard Passports, said it was a ploy by the Federal Government to frustrate efforts by Nigerians to travel out of the country for greener pastures.

They expressed disappointment over the fee hike, accusing the government of making japa (migration) more expensive.

Speaking, a Nigerian, Fidelis Okoro noted that the Federal Government was expected to have subsidized the increment, adding that the Minister’s insistence on the hike fees is not welcome.

Another citizen, Agali, who shared his disappointment with the government in a chat with Investors King, said, “Now the government is increasing taxes and fees and fattening its IGR base on the detriment of poor masses. Even those who struggle to leave the country are not spared. I, for one had expected that the government should have subsidized passport fees but with this announcement by the minister, I am disappointed.”

But, the minister, while speaking at a media briefing in Abuja to mark his first year in office, explained the reason why the government could not subsidise passport fees for Nigerians.

He also clarified that the price increase did not affect the fees for Nigerians living abroad.

The minister explained that the increase in passport fees is a matter of cost-benefit analysis, especially when considering the exchange rate between the dollar and the naira, adding that if the government were to subsidise anything, he doesn’t think it should be passports.

“The increase is just from N35,000 to N50,000 — only about 45%. There has been no increase for Nigerians abroad,” he maintained.

He stressed that the government was not exploiting Nigerians but simply covering the cost of passport procurement.

Tunji-Ojo also revealed that Nigerians in the diaspora, particularly those in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, would soon enjoy more seamless passport acquisition processes.

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Education

ECOWAS Donates $380 Million to Electrify Public Schools and Health Centres Across 18 African Countries

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Ecowas

The Economic Community of West African States Commission (ECOWAS) has announced a donation of $380 million for public schools and health centres in 18 African countries.

The donation was announced by the Senior Adviser on the Regional Off-Grid Electricity Access Project at the ECOWAS Commission, El hadji Sylla, during a stakeholders meeting in Abuja.

According to Sylla, with the move, the ECOWAS aims to promote a new innovative chain to electrify public schools.

Sylla, who stated the goals of the initiative funded by the World Bank, the Clean Technology Fund, and the Dutch government, revealed that the project will kick off from Nigeria and Benin.

He noted that the project covers 15 countries in the ECOWAS region.

According to Sylla “The cost of the project is $380m, and we want to promote a new innovative chain to electrify public institutions. Our target is to electrify schools and health centres to improve service delivery.

“We are piloting the project in Nigeria and the Benin Republic. The project covers 15 countries in the ECOWAS region and four countries in the Sahel region,” Sylla said.

“We are targeting schools and health centres to improve service delivery,” Sylla said, adding that the project is expected to be completed in five years across all participating countries, with the pilot phase in Nigeria and Benin to be executed within 18 months.

In Nigeria, the initiative will begin with electrification projects in selected schools and health centres in the Federal Capital Territory, Niger, and Nasarawa states,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, who was represented at the meeting by Bem Ayangeaor, noted that electrification in Nigeria has seen significant growth.

He, however, attributed the growth to the grants and subsidies flowing into the sector.

“I do not doubt that the rural electrification space in Nigeria, thanks to grants and subsidies, has grown significantly and will soon reach a stage where public support leverages private sector financing at higher efficiencies than it is presently done.

“A stage where the private sector would be more excited in investing in the electrification space because of the benefits to be gained,” Adelabu said.

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