RECENTLY, Lagos State Pension Commission, LASPEC, organised a seminar in conjunction with stakeholders in the Contributory Pension and Insurance sectors to sensitize workers who are retiring between January and June, 2012 from the core Civil Service, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Parastatals and Local Government Service.

CLOSE to Nine years into the operations of Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, following the Pension Reform Act, PRA,2004, contributors and their beneficiaries are now contending with unforeseen challenges that have made stakeholders to step up push for review of the Act. In an interview, Executive Director, Human Resources, 7UP Bottling Company, Mr. Femi Mokikan, said one of the greatest challenges facing the CPS is the difficulties faced by next of kin to a deceased contributor. Excerpts:

RETIREES in Plateau State have accused the State Government of being insensitive to their plight, and decried the neglect they are suffering after “working hard for the state”.

ECONOMIC and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is currently prosecuting no fewer than 42 persons over pension scam across the country, even as the commission said many more persons would be made to face the music for fraudulently denying pensioners their legitimate benefits.

IN 2003, the then President Olusegun Obasanjo began the process of liquidating the Nigeria Airway and by 2004, when the process was concluded; it left behind tales of woes. In fact, at the peak of the crisis, some of the workers who were leaving in Nigeria Airways Staff quarters, were forcefully evicted with armed Mobile Policemen and their property thrown out to the mercy of the rain and hoodlums.

INFORMAL sector workers in the country have raised alarm over removal of subsidy on petroleum product, saying it will worsen their burden and hardships.

NATIONAL Pension Commission, PenCom, has unfolded the commission’s plans for sustainable pension industry in the country.

ON September 21, 2004, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja was alleged to have been flown to Abuja to give a restraining order to Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, from embarking on strike to protest the hike in the pump prices of Petroleum products by then President Olusegun Obasanjo’s government.

Electricity workers have suggested that instead of the outright sale of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, government should consider the adoption of public private partnership model that will guaranty the reform of the sector.