By  Godwin Oritse
THE National Executive Council     (NEC) of the Pensioners Welfare Association of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has decried the inability of the authority’s management to screen its disabled colleagues currently scattered across the country.

The retirees have called on the management to commence the screening process of this category of pensioners and return their names to the pay roll.

They arrived at this decision in their last bi-annual conference of the NEC held in Abuja and urged the management to ensure that the affected pensioners get September pensions.

The retirees also frowned at the delay in the payment of its arrears of  30% pension increment and the implementation of the 15% of pension increase and its accrued arrears.

In a Communique signed by the  National President of the Association Comrade Oweibena Atie, he said that the Managing Director of the authority at a point in time admitted to the fact that there were some retirees that were yet to be screened.
He also called on the management to implement the free medical services to all categories of  pensioners and their spouses adding that it was an agreement the retirees and management reached at a point.

Part of the Communique reads “The NEC -in-Session expresses its appreciation to the Managing Director and the entire Management of the Authority for its consistent and unrelenting assistance to the Association including the token to the Association to facilitate the just concluded National Executive Council meeting.

“The NEC-in-Session notes with dismay the NPA Management continued delay in connection with the payment of 30% increase and the implementation of 15% pension increase and the accrued arrears therefrom and therefore urged NPA Management to urgently address the issues and save the members of the Association from unnecessary financial embarrassment

“The NEC-in-Session after extensive deliberation on the above subject of the unscreened pensioners of the NPA with particular reference to the disabled amongst them as reported in the keynote address of the Managing Director of the NPA.

“The NEC-in-Session views with dismay the staggering nature of the payment of monthly pension particularly to pensioners who reside on the out stations and thereby calls on Management to ensure prompt and regular payment of pensions accordingly”.

It will be recalled that the retirees had petitioned the Presidency over the non payment of the increased pensions approved by the Federal Government adding that every other parastatal of government except NPA  has paid the enhanced pensions.