Godwin Oritse
THE Pensioners’ Welfare Association of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has petitioned the Presidency just as it has also called for the removal of the Managing Director of the authority, Malam Abdulsalam Mohammed over the non-payment of their accrued pensions.

In a letter to the President signed by both the President and Secretary of the group, Comrade Oweibena Attie and Chief Chenedum Oparah said that they wanted an audience with  Mr. President so as to personally intimate him of the ugly happening to over 8,000 pensioners of the authority

The retirees stated that they had tried without success to get the National Assembly to make NPA to pay the accrued pensions adding that the management has consistently ignored the Federal Government circular on  the increment of pensions.

In  the letter dated June 30th 2010 and titled “An appeal for Presidential resolution of the matter of non -payment of miscellaneous Federal Government pension increases awarded to pensioners nationwide but rejected by the management of Nigerian Ports Authority, the retirees stated that despite the surplus revenue generated in recent times, the authority has purposely refused to pay the accrued pensions.

Besides the demand for the payment of their pension arrears and the removal of the Managing Director of the authority, the retirees are also calling for a probe of both the management and board of the authority.

Part of the letter reads “ We have watched the current management for about three years and came to inescapable conclusion that the Chief  Executive officer of the NPA Malam Abdulsalam Mohammed deserves to be reassigned from office by your office.

Re acting to the pensioners’ petition Mr Tola Atekoja Executive Director Finance and Administration stated that the low level retirees are the most problematic of the pensioners.

He told Vanguard that   NPA is only organisation that sponsor retirees’ children in schools adding that this category  of retirees are not being to the management of the authority

When Vanguard cornered the Managing Director of the authority Malam Abdulosalam Mohamed  at the Continental Shipyard, during the Minister of Transport visit to the yard, he said that he has seen the petition adding that the retirees are entitled to their opinion.