The Federal Government has initiated the long-awaited payment of pension arrears and other entitlements owed to retired military personnel after widespread protests by retirees at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja on Thursday.
The announcement was made by the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, who confirmed the commencement of the payment process.
Retired military officers had been voicing their frustrations over unpaid benefits, including the long-overdue 20% to 28% salary increase for the period from January to November 2024, palliative payments from October 2023 to November 2024, and an additional ₦32,000 increment in pension.
In addition to these, the retirees had also demanded refunds of pension deductions made from the salaries of soldiers medically boarded out, and the bulk payment of the Security Debarment Allowance.
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Matawalle, in a statement issued by Henshaw Ogubike, Director of Information and Public Relations at the Ministry of Defence, confirmed that the payment of pension arrears had begun, with many retirees already receiving alerts for their entitlements.
He revealed that the funds for the payments were released by President Bola Tinubu, who had authorized the financial intervention on Thursday.
“The payment processes have begun, and retirees are already seeing their entitlements reflected in their accounts,” Matawalle stated.
Matawalle went on to praise the President’s commitment to the welfare of both serving and retired military personnel.
He also acknowledged the significant role of the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, whose efforts had been instrumental in actualizing the payments.
“The President remains committed to the welfare of our military forces, both serving and retired. This payment of arrears is a clear indication of his resolve to address their concerns and improve their living standards,” he noted.
The Defence Minister further assured the military community that the government was continuously working to boost morale and support them in tackling the nation’s security challenges.
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“Despite earlier setbacks, rest assured that Mr. President will do everything within his power to uplift our military forces as they confront the challenges of insecurity,” he added.
He also paid tribute to the unwavering dedication of retired and serving military personnel in ensuring national security and combating insurgency. He emphasized that the government would continue to enhance the readiness and resilience of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
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