VICE President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Chairman of Labour Transport Company, LTC, Comrade Issa Aremu, has faulted the Federal Government on alleged planned to 450 and 150 buses to the NLC and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC out of the 1,242 buses to be imported.

PENSIONERS in the South-west have called for the decentralization of pension administration to allow state governments to handle the payments of the Federal share of pension on behalf the Federal Government.

FROM the under-developed countries like Nigeria to the developing countries such as Syria, from the emerging economies like India to a failed economy like Greece and from the developed economies such as Germany and to even a super power like United States of America, USA, the story is the same; unemployment is becoming the greatest threat to peace and stability.

LAGOS State Council of Nigeria Union of Pensioners, NUP, has described the last pensioners’ verification exercise ordered by the Federal Government through the Head of Service, HOS, of the Federation as a complete failure.

MINISTER of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, has said President Goodluck Jonathan has fulfilled his promises to Nigerian workers, stressing that enhanced welfare of the Nigerian workers is a major trust of the present Administration of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

“OUR greatest problem as a country is the rate of unemployment.” These were the words of President Goodluck Jonathan, at the commissioning of 6 million metric tonnes per annum, mtpa, cement plant at Ibese, Yewa North local Government area of Ogun state, built by business mogul, Aliko Dangote.

MISTER Timothy Dumbiri Akpede, an 84-year-old blind pensioner served Nigeria in various capacities before retirement. He served the nation as an athlete, a councilor and a teacher before retiring on December 31, 1984.

THE upper chamber of the National Assembly has vowed to, through legislative processes, expose and deal with those behind the criminal and other unethical practices, especially non-payment of pensions that have inflicted pains and suffering on pensioners in the country.

THE National Association of Military Pensioners, NAMP, has appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to direct the Ministry of Defense to pay all military pensioners the 53 per cent pension increment and arrears owed to them.

There is allegation that 7 UP Bottling company has been engaging in unfair labour practices especially employing casual workers. How would you respond to the allegation?

RECENTLY, Lagos State Pension Commission, LASPEC, organised a seminar in conjunction with stakeholders in the Contributory Pension and Insurance sectors to sensitize workers who are retiring between January and June, 2012 from the core Civil Service, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Parastatals and Local Government Service.

FORMER board member of National Pension Commission, PenCom, representing organized Labour, Comrade Ivor Takor, has said the failure by employers to remit the pension contributions of workers to the Pension Fund Administrators, PFAs is a big challenge facing the reform, which may affect retirees of non compliant organizations in future.

SINCE the January 1, 2012, hike in pump price of petrol to N141 from the N65 per liter, workers in the country have been finding it difficult to cope with the socio-economic consequences. Even after the price was slashed to N97, the high cost of living occasioned by the January 1, hike, has remained astronomical and it has become increasingly hard for workers to grapple with the cost of living.

CLOSE to Nine years into the operations of Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, following the Pension Reform Act, PRA,2004, contributors and their beneficiaries are now contending with unforeseen challenges that have made stakeholders to step up push for review of the Act. In an interview, Executive Director, Human Resources, 7UP Bottling Company, Mr. Femi Mokikan, said one of the greatest challenges facing the CPS is the difficulties faced by next of kin to a deceased contributor. Excerpts:

THE Pension Reform Task Team set up by the Federal government, has uncovered no fewer than 71, 133 ghost pensioners under the government payroll across the country.