BY JONAH NWOKPOKU & WILLIAM JIMOH

Another case of pension corruption is rearing its ugly head, this time at the Nigeria railway corporation, Vanguard investigation has revealed.

Investigations revealed that the non refund of money deducted from the rail workers’ salaries about ten years ago prompted them to  embark on a nationwide industrial action recenlty.

The workers were said to have been convinced by a former Managing Director, MD of the corporation (names withheld) to contribute to an exclusive railway pension fund through monthly salary deductions.

Although the workers gave lack of regular promotions and other welfare issues as reasons for embarking on the industrial action. Investigations revealed that the workers were most aggrieved with the double deductions on the pension funds. One of the workers who spoke to Vanguard on the basis of anonymity narrated the story of the pension scam.

“There was this former Managing Director, MD (names withheld), who came up with an initiative for money to be deducted from workers’ salary for pension. He convinced the workers to allow this money to be deducted from their salary so that the money will be enough for them when they would retire. Meanwhile, pension deduction was also being done  by federal government, thereby doubling the deductions.

“This went on for thirty-two months until that MD retired and it was discovered that the money he deducted during his tenure was not in the railway account. The managing director that came after him did not carry on with the initiative and when the workers asked for their money,  they were told they would get their money but they never got it up until now. That’s why they are insisting now that the railway management must pay them the money.” He explained.

“We want our money, we don’t care who deducted the money. All we know is that it is the railway management that deducted our money. We have given them two weeks and if at the end of it they did not comply, they will see the workers in their full colour.” Another aggrieved worker who also preferred anonymity threatened.

“There is evidence that this money was deducted from our salary and they should pay us our money. Whatever they want to do with that MD is none of our business but we want our money. Thirty-two months is it a small thing?” A member of the union asked, anger in is voice.

The workers were also protesting against what they labeled irregular and selective promotion; a situation where some workers were promoted while some were left out.