By Harris-Okon Emmanuel

UYO- Members South-South Zone of Nigeria Union of Pensioners have decried the dehumanizing conditions pensioners were subjected to, lamenting that greater percentage of its members take home as low as N600 monthly as pension.

The Akwa Ibom State Chairman of Union, Obong E. D Ekpo, who spoke during the zonal conference of the Union held at Pensioners House, Uyo, the State capital, said the greatest problem faced by pensioners in some states of the region was lack of ‘harmonization’ of pension.

Ekpo lamented:”There are pensioners in this state who earn as low as N600 and N800 (six hundred and eight hundred naira) only a month which cannot even pay their transport to their collecting points.

“The static nature of low monthly pension came as a result of the Government’s refusal to honour Federal Circular on Implementation of various increases such as 6% of 2003 in lieu of twelve and a half percent, Fifteen and a half percent of 2007 as paid to workers, monetization of 33% as approved from June 2010 and non-inclusion of pensioners when the minimum wage was paid.

” In Akwa Ibom State, it is unfortunate that all efforts to see His Excellency the Governor of this State on these life-saving matters has not been successful for over three years now. And pensioners are dying daily.

“Pensioners are old men and women who live daily on drugs which these days are costly. Despite the provision in Federal constitution of Nigerian for pensioners and the oath of office to protect all persons, operators in the State have chosen to sideline pensioners and prefer to be pleased to see them dying daily’’.

He called on the State Governments in the South/South zone to implement the percentage increases earlier approved by the Federal Government and also harmonize their allowances in order to alleviate their sufferings.

Head Of Service Akwa Ibom State, Mrs. Ekereobong Akpan, while declaring the conference open , commended the leadership of the Union in the region for their initiatives, achievements and courage as well showing credibility in the discharge of their statutory obligations to the members despite challenges of age and time.

She said Akwa Ibom State Government was committed to the well-being of workers particularly the pensioners who have spent their entire youthful years in serving the respective State and the nation.

At the end of the Conference which was chaired by the South/South Chairman, Comrade Pullen Noruwa, the Pensioners also urged the State Governments in the region to adopt the policy of Straight Transfer from Salary payroll to pension payroll.

According to them, this policy when implemented would help to extend the life span of the retired persons and equally safe the State Government from embarrassment arising from accumulated Pension Arrears.

While commending the Akwa Ibom State Government for already implementing the Straight Transfer policy, the Union frowned at the drastic slashed of allowances of some members, noting that the law does not permit any salary already earned to be slashed.

Others who presented goodwill messages during the conference where the Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government, Mr. Emmanuel Ekuwem represented by Mr. Akwaowo Inyang, The Executive Secretary of Local Government Pension Board, Mr. Uduak Udoh and the State Council of NLC, AKS amongst others.