Pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) and members of the Federal Parastatals and Private Sector Pensioners’ Association of Nigeria (FEPPPAN) have appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene to fast-track the implementation of minimum wages and salaries to pensioners.
According to the Association, Buhari’s intervention will prevent them from embarking on a nationwide public protests and demonstrations.
The pensioners in an open letter tagged: “Undue delay in implementing increase in minimum wage/salaries to pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme” called on the president to come to their aid.
While the pensioners acknowledge Buhari’s care and love for pensioners nationwide through regular payment of monthly pensions since 2015 when he took over the reins of power, they said they have looked forward to the implementation of the minimum wage as it relates to pension increase of pensioners under the DBS.
FEPPPAN President-General, Temple Ubani in the open letter reminded Buhari that he graciously signed the minimum wage into law on April 18, 2019, which was implemented at the federal level in December 2019.
In Ubani’s words: “We pensioners under the DBS and members of FEPPPAN acknowledge with thanks, your administration’s care and love for pensioners nationwide through regular payment of our monthly pensions since 2015 when you took over the reins of power. This development is a departure from the inglorious order preceding your Presidency when pensioners were paid between the 5th and 8th of the following month.
“However, we have looked forward to the implementation of the minimum wage/salary as it relates to pension increase of pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme, with bated breath, to no avail. Needless to remind you that you graciously signed the minimum wage into law on April 18, 2019 and this was implemented at the federal level in December 2019.
“Majority of pensioners of the federal parastatals have persistently clamoured for a showdown through public protests/demonstrations but the leadership of our association has so far been able to stem the tide of a nationwide protest lest detractors whose stock in trade is always to run down your government, will latch on this to unjustifiably criticise your government, notwithstanding the fact that pensioners nationwide never had it so good before the advent of your administration.”
Ubani stated that they heard from the grapevine that the National Salaries, Incomes & Wages Commission (NSIWC) had several months ago submitted its report/recommendations to the Presidency for approval and subsequent implementation of the recommendations on the minimum wage as it relates to federal pensioners. He noted that the report has been going back and forth between the Presidency and Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), in the last couple of months.