The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to approve free medical treatments for them who are 70 years and above across the country. National President of the union, Dr Abel Afolayan made the appeal on Wednesday in his address in Ado-Ekiti to commemorate this year’s Pensioner’s Day.Afolayan said, ” Free healthcare is a very important welfare package for us considering our contributions to national development. The labour of our heroes past should not be allowed to be in vain.”
“The Union will very much appreciate if President Buhari-led administration whose mantra of change has been globally acknowledged can approve the creation of a full-fledged Ministry of Pension and Senior Citizens Affairs like the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development was created.
“This Ministry, if created, will cater adequately for the welfare of pensioners, old people and senior citizens throughout Nigeria as it is practised in developed countries of the world.
“Closely related to this request is the retention and strengthening of the National Pension Commission (PENCOM) and Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD). We request that these two pension agencies (the former in charge of Contributory Pension Scheme and the latter in charge of the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) be retained and strengthened as parastatals under the proposed Ministry.
“One major problem compounding our member’s agonizing situation which we would like to plead with the Buhari administration to look into passionately is the Federal Government’s failure to pay regularly their 5% counterpart fund into the local government fund which was started as prescribed by the government but stopped sometimes ago without just cause whatsoever. This stoppage has been adversely affecting regular payment of monthly pensions to the Local government pensioners and primary school pensioners who are being paid from this fund.
” It is tripartite funding by the three tiers of government. We plead with the Federal government to direct for strict compliance with this counterpart funding. We hope the Federal Government will lead the way by showing the example and paying its share of the counterpart funding.”
He pleaded with the government to make the payment of pensioners allowances first line charge by ensuring early payment of pensions before payment of workers’ wages as a mark of honour and respect for the senior citizens while he equally called for the appointment of retirees into political offices.
