The day Borno pensioners staged protest over non-payment of benefits

In a situation where by such benefits are not forthcoming, the life of such pensioners and their families is subjected to hardship with many pointing accusing fingers and casting aspersions on the government in power. Like in many parts of Nigeria, the case of pensioners in Borno State reveals a pathetic story of life in […]

In a situation where by such benefits are not forthcoming, the life of such pensioners and their families is subjected to hardship with many pointing accusing fingers and casting aspersions on the government in power.

Like in many parts of Nigeria, the case of pensioners in Borno State reveals a pathetic story of life in penury as thousands of aged men and women who have completed their services have gone  home without benefits while those who are benefiting are crying, describing their take home pay as “peanut”.

Aggrieved by their predicaments, the aged in their thousands under the aegis of Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), recently organised a rally and converged at their secretariat behind former Bank of the North regional office in Maiduguri where they expressed displeasure over what they termed government ‘inability’ to settle various pensions and gratuity arrears worth billions of naira from 1996 to date.

 The retired civil servants said they were tired with government failure to redeem its earlier pledge of paying them their benefits and consequently issued three -weeks ultimatum to the government to commence payment of the arrears or else they would gather all their family members and invade Government House for a massive protest and never leave unless the arrears were paid.        

 Our correspondent observed that the aggrieved pensioners, aged between 50 and 80 years including those that lost their sights in addition to other incapacitations looked worried as they stood in the sun lamenting their situation after active service.

Kanem Trust investigation revealed that of the current figure of 18, 000 pensioners in Borno, only 4000 are on the payroll of the Local Government staff Pension Board with more than 14, 000 hanging without hope.

The outstanding arrears which were categorised into various groups showed that government did not fix precise period for the commencement of the payment. The state Chairman of the union Comrade Yusufu Suya, who addressed the pensioners, disclosed that although they met with governor Ali Sheriff sometimes this year where he promised to look into their grievances, he however accused the Head of Service, Engr. Gambo Ali the Maina of delaying payment of the entitlements and called for his removal.

“We took the case to the governor and after listening to our problems, he promised to settle us within a short time but unfortunately, the head of service who was responsible for preparing our files and entitlements for submission to the governor for approval had failed to do so… in fact we are suspecting that he hid our files. We are very confident that the governor is determined to settle us but this official was responsible for our predicament, he is the one blocking our chance” the chairman alleged.    

 While giving a breakdown of the unpaid benefits, Comrade Suya explained that government failed to offset N2.4bn gratuity arrears from 2005 to date and N1.2bn for the retired state and local government workers.  He added that pensioners under the payroll of the state government have not been paid their arrears amounting to N700m, while that of the local government stood at N276m.

 Similarly, the chairman disclosed that the pensioners were yet to enjoy all the various pension increments introduced by federal government since1995, describing the situation as “unacceptable”.

According to him, “former Heads of State, Generals Sani Abacha and Abdussalami Abubakar approved 30 percent and 150 increment, while Obasanjo approved 149 percent and the total increment stands at N1.3bn  but up till now we are not given the outstanding arrears”, he said.

He said the negatively attitude of the government had subjected the pensioners to untold hardships because “over 20 have died as a result of various illness and their inability to pay medical bills”.

“Majority of the pensioners have been ejected from their houses for failure to pay rent. We can no longer feed our family properly, we can’t sponsor their education, in fact we are just like beggars, and government should urgently salvage us from these hardships”, he appealed.

“we are giving government three-week ultimatum to start paying us, if the ultimatum expires with out any concrete agreement, we would have no option than to carry along all our families and invade Government House, we will never leave unless government made concrete arrangement”, the chairman added.        

 A cross section of the pensioners interviewed by our correspondent described their retirements from civil service as an act of God but maintained that continued  delay in the payment of their benefits had throw them into difficulties and crippled education of their children.

Malam Garba Shettima who retired in 1990 said since then he had been relying on the meagre monthly pension of N4000 which was “just not enough” to take proper care of his family.

“I left service 19 years back and since that period I have been enjoying uninterrupted monthly pension, my predicament started when administrations of former heads of state Generals Sani Abatcha and Abdussalami Abubakar as well as that of Olusegun Obasanjo made separate increments of pensions, we started enjoying the new package but all of a sudden the payment was suspended for unknown reason, since then we did not hear anything despite several appeals to the government”, he cried.        

“My appeal to the government is to assist us and work out speedy payment of the benefits so that our families can continue normal life”, he added.

Another pensioner Mr. Dauda John, aged 62 disclosed that he left job ten year ago, but was yet to enjoy the 30 percent pension increment made by Obasanjo administration, alleging that the government was totally unfair to them. “It was very unfortunate that Federal Government at that time directed states to implement the 30 percent increment, but only few of us started enjoying the package before it was later stopped. We made several appeals to the governments on the need to consider our plight and settle the arrears but our request was ignored,” he revealed.       

 The Head of Service could not be reached for comment as he was said to have travelled to Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj. However, Permanent Secretary, Establishments at the office, Ejida Ijidugal told newsmen that the allegation against the Head of Service was a mere false peddled to dent his image and mislead the general public.

According to him, “government is doing everything possible to pay all the outstanding benefits within the shortest time” and called on the pensioners to exercise patience, saying they should adopt amicable constitutional means in pursing pursue their benefits”.

It is now left to be seen whether the government would address the plight of the civil servants before the expiration of the ultimatum they gave. “As soon as the time lapsed without any concrete action, we would definitely storm the government”, the chairman emphasised.