THE Federal Government has disclosed of plans to increase stipends given to pensioners from next year.
The plan was based on the report by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission’s (NSIWC) on pension harmonisation, submitted to the Federal Government.
The report noted that the Federal Government pensioners under the new pension plan and those under the old program would would be captured in the payment increase.
Nigeria Union of Pensioners’ executive committee Chairman, Samuel Adewale,confirmed this development during an official visit to the Chairman of NSIWC, Ekpo Nta, in Abuja on Friday, December 1.
Head of the commission’s Press department, Emmanuel Njoku, stated that Ekpo interacted with and provided answers on some questions asked by the pensioners during the official visit.
Adewale, during the visit, assured the pensioners that the commission was checking up on the report it had sent to the federal government about retiree pensions.
In his earlier remarks, Ekpo told the pensioners that the commission had forwarded its report on harmonising pensions for consideration to the government in May 2023, after evaluating inputs from relevant stakeholders, including pension unions and the availability of funds.
He added that the commission regularly followed up on this, since it would have a bearing in considering pension increases in 2024.
The commission, stated that among the delegates was Gabriel Oladele, the Chairman of the Committee on Pension NUP-ASU/Parastatals, who requested the NWISC to become involved in the incorrect calculation of their consequential adjustments and the irrational reductions from their pensions after decades of receiving the same.
Nta, responded that the union’s officially presented materials would be the basis for the commission’s investigation into the two problems.
He also informed his guests that the FG and other significant stakeholders were typically consulted extensively before the commission released its circulars.
In March 2023, The ICIR reported that retirees in Abia state battled poverty over non-payment of their pension and gratuity.
The retirees interviewed complained of penury and squalor after giving their best years in service to the people and the state government.
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