Retirees cry out over unpaid benefits

Federal Government retirees who left service in January, last year under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) to date have continued to lament their unpaid pension benefits.

The retirees are unhappy that the government abandoned them, adding that they were not even given palliatives.

President, Contributory Pensioners Union of Nigeria, Comrade Mathew Shittu, reiterated that those who retired since last year were yet to receive their benefits last month as against the objective of the CPS which is to ensure that every retiree receives his retirement benefits promptly.

He said: Payment of retirees benefits is being subjected to the dictate of bureaucratic budgetary control in spite of the trillions of naira allegedly build up scheme, thereby returning pension administration and management to the era of old scheme which has defeated the purpose for which the new scheme was established in the first place.

“In view of all that we have stated, members are worried about the payment of the 15 per cent and 33 per cent increases to members as been planned for our colleagues under the old scheme. The meeting concluded on the hope that Federal Government would have to rescue members by reviewing the CPS policy to come up with better modalities for ensuring the payment of retirement benefits to retirees as and when due.

“If this is not done, members suggest a possible return to the old scheme which guarantees the payment of retirement benefits to retirees in their old age”, the retirees posited,” he added.