Lagos State pensioners under the new Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) have cried out over alleged non-remittance of their accrued benefit into Retirement Pension’s Account (RPA).
In a letter to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, they detailed their plight and urged him to take urgent action in addressing situation.
The Save Our Soul (SOS) letter, dated July 25, titled: ‘Lagos State pensioners under the new new Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) are dying of hunger, neglect and depression – An appeal’ signed by the union’s chairman, Omisande Michael and its general secretary, Olagbaye Johnson respectively, partly read: “We appreciate your efforts in clearing the backlogs of pensions. However, we still have so many outstanding pensions from 2020 till date. The Lagos State NUP/CPS Sector writes to bring to your attention the alarming and deplorable condition that Lagos state Contributory Pensioners are currently experiencing. As concern citizen and advocate for social justice, there is an urgent need for your government to address these issues promptly.
“Contributory pensioners who have served Lagos State with unwavering dedication and are now living in distressing circumstances, many of us are struggling to make ends meet due to the insufficient monthly pension payment that have failed to keep up with the cost of living.
“The major cause of this is as a result of non-remittance of our accrued benefit into our Retirement Pension’s Account in 2007 which would have increased our capital in our Retirement Saving Account (RSA). And the removal of gratuity in the new Pension Scheme because government wanted to reduce cost of governance.
“It’s unbelievable that under the Contributory Pension Scheme Reform Act, 2007, by Lagos State Government, a director on grade level 17 earns an average of N70,000 monthly pension, deputy director, N52,000 while grade level 14 monthly pension is N42,000, grade level 07 to 09 received N12,000, it may interest you sir, that grade level 1 to 4 are paid off. No monthly pension as if they are alien in their fatherland.
“We receive an average of ten notifications of death of our members on a monthly basis. A series of letters have been written to your esteemed office on the above subject matter without any positive response. We will be glad if you could grant us an audience to discuss these unwavering issues with you as we could no longer absorb the hardship again.”
