By Emmanuel Edukugho
“I retired from the Federal Ministry of Finance some years ago, but it was very difficult getting my entitlements. I am now staying in Lagos, and frequently had to shuttle between Lagos and Abuja to sign one paper or another concerning my pension pay.

This is costly as I have to look for transport fare from Lagos to Abuja and back.” This is the experience of Mr. Atumu, a pensioner who resides in Lagos.

“There is delay in payment of pension which in some cases are not paid as when due. This makes many pensioners to be borrowing until payment is ready. The frequent verification exercise in which they want to see the pensioner physically is not necessary. Some of us are just too old to always come out for verification. But the pension officials will insist that verification is important to ensure that a pensioner is still alive.”

He told Saturday Vanguard that verification helps to check the incidence of ghost pensioners.

“Relatives and associates of deceased pensioners still come for the salaries of dead retirees and had been happening so for many years now. I think this is why verification exercises are conducted frequently.”

Atumu said that Federal Government pensioners are getting their pay as at when due, most of the time.

“I don’t know about others in other agencies and parastatals where there are long delays running to several months, but those of us from the Ministry of Finance don’t have cause to lament, apart from the bureaucratic bottlenecks associated with government operations.”

On review of salaries as related to pensioners:“Whenever workers’ salaries are reviewed, pensioners are supposed to be affected accordingly. However, it takes so much time to be implemented in respect of pensioners. But we’re not given the same percentage as the serving workers. Government is still owing some pensioners arrears of pay increase.” He said pensioners especially at the lower cadre, are still poorly paid and there is need to raise the pay.

“Pensioners buy from the same market with workers, pay same thing for public services like electricity, water, transport, etc. Most of us cannot cope due to poor pay. It is more unfortunate when some officials just embezzle pension fund thereby making life unbearable for pensioners.”

He commended the Senate for the probe into stolen pension funds and urged government to deal appropriately with those involved so as to serve as a deterrence to other officials entrusted with pension money.

“Only few pensioners in this country can be said to be comfortable. Many of the pensioners cannot survive on their monthly stipend. It’s just too small.”