From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
Pensioners under the aegis of the Electricity Sector Retirees Welfare Association (ESREWA) have asked the federal government to quickly facilitate payment of N34.9 billion owed to them by the board of the Nigerian Electricity Liability Management Company Ltd (NELMCO).
The Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbanjo, had in August inaugurated the NELMCO board, Chaired by the Minister of Finance and Budget Planning. NELMCO is a company limited by guarantee incorporated on 25th August, 2006 by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) to assume and administer the debts and non-core assets of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) Plc as well as the pre-privatisation liabilities of the PHCN, in line with the provisions of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act, 2005.
In a statement signed by its President, Elder Benjamin Amako, the union said: “N34.9 billion is owed to us. The electricity sector pensioners was established in 2014 by NELMCO. We were even told by NELMCO that the money was approved and budget for onward payment to us. But till date unfortunately, we have not heard, seen, or received a dime.
“We are using to opportunity to urge President Buhari and Vice President Osinbanjo and the members board, especially the Minister of Finance to leave no stone unturned in ensuring we receive the entitlements of our life sweat. We have in the past written to President Buhari and Vice President Osinbanjo on the matter and we are once again calling on them to specifically help us.”
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The retirees went further to commend President Muhammadu Buhari and his Vice, for the constitution and inauguration of the all important new NELMCO board.
“We are joyful and grateful when we heard that Vice President Osinbanjo has inaugurated the board. So in a special way, we thank President Buhari and his Vice for the job well done. We cannot stop praising them for the unrelenting effort towards ensuring that pensioners are well treated. Posterity we judge them well for this.
The pensioners also congratulated all the members of the newly inaugurated NELMCO board and expressed their undoubted faith on the capacity, capability and the integrity of the chairperson of the board and the members in ensuring that all the liabilities which include the accrued rights of electricity sector pensioners are totally paid.
They declared their support and cooperation to the newly inaugurated board members, pledging to do whatever was necessary to ensure the board executes its duties smoothly.