- Pensioners give government till end of September to pay palliatives and increments
- Threaten nationwide naked protest on October 6 if demands are unmet
- Say they’ve waited a year while workers have been paid promptly
The Coalition of Federal Pensioners of Nigeria has issued a stern warning to the Federal Government, threatening to stage a nationwide naked protest on October 6 if pension increases and palliatives are not implemented.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the warning was made public by the National Chairman of the coalition, Mr Mukaila Ogunbote, during a press briefing held on Tuesday in Lagos.
Mr Ogunbote, who also leads the NIPOST chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), revealed that pensioners have set a September deadline for the government to settle all outstanding arrears, implement the approved pension increments, and release palliative payments.
“If nothing is done by the end of this month, we will be left with no choice but to go naked on the streets across the country,” he said.
He stressed that the move would serve as a powerful symbol of the government’s failure to honour its commitments.
He recalled that in October 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved a N25,000 palliative for pensioners, alongside a N35,000 payment for workers, as a cushion against economic hardship.
According to Ogunbote, while civil servants received their funds within a month, pensioners are still awaiting theirs nearly one year later.
He further disclosed that although pensioners were promised six months of palliative payments, workers have since received ten months’ worth, while pensioners have yet to get a single one.
“The President also directed a pension increase of N13,000, but up till now, the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant-General have done nothing,” he added.
Ogunbote lamented that during follow-up inquiries, officials revealed that the N32,000 pension adjustment was excluded from both the 2024 and 2025 budgets.
“That is nothing short of injustice,” he said.
Mr Fashola Oluwo, a retiree from the Federal Ministry of Information, called on relevant authorities to question those who have failed to act on the President’s orders.
“It’s disheartening that after all these years of service, we are still begging for what is rightfully ours,” he said.
Mrs Dupe Ogunniyi, a pensioner from the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), made a heartfelt plea to the First Lady, urging her to intervene with the President on behalf of struggling retirees.
“Many of us are still taking care of our children who have no jobs, and we depend solely on our pensions to survive,” she stated.
Also speaking, Mr Adebola Akinduture, former Chairman of the Lagos branch of NUP, described the situation as dire.
“We are battling with hunger. What is the use of medicine when there’s no food to take it with?” he asked.
“We are starving, and if nothing changes, we will protest unclothed by October 6.”
The coalition insists it will not back down until the government fulfils its promises.
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