• Pensioners give FG deadline to pay N32,000 pension arrears, N25,000 palliative
• Diaspora pensioners to join demonstration virtually from abroad
ATTENTION: Click “HERE” to join our WhatsApp group and receive News updates directly on your WhatsApp!
• Coalition accuses government of neglect and demands Tinubu’s intervention
The Coalition of Federal Pensioners of Nigeria has threatened to embark on a nationwide naked protest on November 24 if the Federal Government fails to settle outstanding pension arrears and palliative allowances approved since 2023.
The coalition’s National Chairman, Mr. Mukaila Ogunbote, who also chairs the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NIPOST Chapter), issued the ultimatum during a press briefing in Lagos. He said the retirees had run out of patience over government’s delay in paying the N32,000 pension increment arrears and the N25,000 palliative allowance.
According to him, “We were told that our arrears would be paid within two weeks of the approval, yet nothing has been done. If by November 23 we do not receive payment, all pensioners nationwide will embark on a naked protest on November 24.”
Ogunbote disclosed that pensioners in the diaspora had pledged solidarity with their Nigerian counterparts and would join the protest virtually, turning it into what he called a “worldwide demonstration for justice.”
In a statement signed by Mr. Mukaila Ogunbote, the coalition appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene and direct the Minister of Finance and the Accountant-General of the Federation to release the owed funds immediately.
READ ALSO:Pensioners Block Finance Ministry in Abuja Over Unpaid Dues
He lamented that many pensioners had died due to hardship, while others continue to struggle for food and medical care. “Workers received the N35,000 palliative in a month, but up till now, pensioners have not been paid the N25,000 approved for us. We are more vulnerable than anyone else,” he said.
The coalition criticised the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for not providing adequate support to the pensioners’ cause and accused the government of prioritising other expenditures while neglecting retirees who had “given their productive years to the nation.”
Ogunbote urged the government to ensure payment before December to enable pensioners prepare for Christmas celebrations, warning that failure to act could lead to a nationwide display of anger and frustration on November 24.
