The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has raised serious concerns over the dire financial situation faced by many public sector retirees in the country.
According to Alhassan Musa, the NUP Secretary for Kaduna State, some pensioners are receiving as little as ₦500 to ₦3,500 per month as their pension.
Musa described the condition of these retirees as "pathetic" while emphazing that they had sacrificed their lives and service for the nation, yet they are now left to survive on paltry sums.
He highlighted that the situation is particularly severe in some southern and oil-producing states, despite these regions receiving substantial allocations from the federation account.
Musa also noted that pensioners in some northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are comparatively better off, receiving between ₦3,500 and ₦18,000 monthly.
However, he acknowledged that Kaduna State stands out as an exception in the northern region after a minimum pension of ₦30,000 was implemented in 2020 under the administration of former Governor Nasir El-Rufa'i.
Furthermore, Musa advocated for a 50% upward review of the minimum pension based on the current socio-economic realities in Nigeria to address the growing economic challenges faced by retirees.
He stressed that this increase is essential, especially now that the national minimum wage has been raised to ₦70,000.
Musa then urged the Federal Government to ensure that no pensioner receives less than ₦70,000 monthly, aligning pension payouts with the new minimum wage for workers.
He emphasized that if workers are receiving a minimum wage of ₦70,000, pensioners should enjoy the same benefits.
Furthermore, Musa highlighted the significant challenges faced by workers who retired under the contributory pension system, many of whom have been unable to access their benefits for up to a decade.
