‘We want national minimum pension’

Newly elected President of NUP Dr Abel Afolayan made the call in Abuja during a press conference where he said the lack of uniformity in pension payment has resulted in some pensioners being paid less than N1000 monthly.Abel who lamented that NUP has not yet received over N400 million of its check-off dues even after […]

Newly elected President of NUP Dr Abel Afolayan made the call in Abuja during a press conference where he said the lack of uniformity in pension payment has resulted in some pensioners being paid less than N1000 monthly.
Abel who lamented that NUP has not yet received over N400 million of its check-off dues even after President Goodluck Jonathan ordered the release of the money said it is insensitive and inhuman for a pensioner to earn as low as N1000 per month while others take home as huge as half a million naira.
He said, “We honestly and sincerely believe that if there is a minimum wage, there should also be a minimum pension. We therefore, are determined to go to the National Assembly to help us prepare a bill and push it through until it becomes law establishing and putting minimum pension on the same level of importance as minimum wage throughout the country.”
The NUP president also advocated for pensioners to be given priority in terms of welfare consideration as it is done to their counterparts in other part of the world, stressing that they should get “free or subsidised hospital treatment, attending to them first in public places like banks, post offices, bus and railway station etc.”
Afolayan said the union will henceforth pursue investment drive, saying it is very imperative for a nationwide organisation like NUP to plan and invest for the future.
Daily Trust recalls that the Senate, in its current attempt to review the constitution has voted to strike out the National Minimum Wage and allow each state to determine wages.