Pensioners in the South-West region of the country on Friday staged a protest under the aegis of the Association of Contributory Pension Sector, South-West zone over alleged unpaid gratuity by the Federal Government.
The pensioners, comprising workers from the University College Hospital, Ibadan; University of Ibadan, University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife), the University Teaching Hospital, Ife; Ilorin Teaching hospital, University of Ilorin; the federal medical centres in Lagos and Ogun states, and Nigerian Postal Service, among others, alleged that top officials of the National Pension Commission were holding on to their hard-earned allowances.
The pensioners carried placards with various inscriptions asking officials of PENCOM to “give us our money that you fixed in the bank,” as retirees were suffering.
They lamented that the money their contributions at the time of their retirement were not paid to them while members of the association were in dire need of their entitlements.
Speaking during the protest, the Chairman of NUPCPS in Oyo state, Joseph Olugbemiga, lamented that members of the union had not been fairly treated, having contributed to national development while in service.
Olugbemiga stated that they had written to the Federal Government through the Ministry of Finance, adding that they had taken the matter to court demanding the release of the association’s document from the Vice President of ANUCOPER, one Ajisafe, and the treasurer, Damisah, but their efforts yielded no result.
He further alleged that one Ibrahim Bakare, and Damisah, the treasurer connived to siphon the contributory money of the pensioners after the money had been deposited in the designated account.
Olugbemiga said, “What we are contesting is we are applying for our short payment of the shortfall. When they were calculating our money, they used the grade level. When we were retiring and they were calculating our money, they used the salary grade level of every parastatal.
“Then, we applied and they computed it. Then, they applied from the Federal Government and it was paid. Then, Alhaji Ibrahim Bakare and his cohort took the money from the treasury and put it in a private account generating interest of almost N200m every year. Then we demanded our money before they were telling us the matter is in court. The matter is not in court.
In his reaction, Ibrahim Bakare of the Salary and Wages Commission, Abuja, faulted the pensioners’ claims.
Bakare said, “It is not possible for the Federal Government to pay money into somebody’s account without due process. If you go through what they are saying very well, we are all pensioners and as a pensioner, they will pay you your money. If they have any other money they will pay you, they will.
