By Daniel Peters
A large group of retired civil servants gathered in Abuja on Wednesday to protest the government’s failure to pay their pensions and gratuities, many of which have been outstanding for over a year.
The demonstrators, who retired from various federal ministries and agencies, voiced their frustration over the lack of action on their unpaid entitlements, which has led to severe hardship for many of them.
Comrade Anne Amaturu, one of the key voices in the protest, retired from the Federal Ministry of Power in 2023. She expressed the frustration of retirees, who have not received any payment, despite promises from the government.
“It has been one year, and still, not a kobo has been paid to us,” she lamented.
“There are retirees who have been waiting for two or even three years without any payment. While others in service have received increments, we, who retired from the federal government, have been completely ignored.”
Amaturu emphasized the devastating impact the delay has had on the retirees, many of whom are elderly, ill, and struggling to survive. “Many of our colleagues have passed away, and others are in hospitals, unable to afford proper care. We demand that our outstanding arrears be paid, and those of us who retired in 2023 should receive our full entitlements.”
The retirees’ plight has been exacerbated by the current economic situation in Nigeria, with rising inflation and the cost of living making it impossible for them to meet their basic needs.
One of the protesters, Mrs Uba Christiana, who serves as the National Women Abuja Gender Officer, highlighted how difficult it has been for them to survive.
“Many of us have children who have graduated but remain unemployed.
We are still responsible for feeding and caring for them, despite not receiving our pensions.”
Another retiree, Mr. Ekpeyong Francis, who retired as a Chief Accountant from the Federal Ministry of Information in November 2023, expressed dismay at the government’s lack of response. “We are 20 months into retirement, and none of us has received a single dime. We served this country for 35 years, and now we can’t even afford to maintain ourselves or our families.”
The protesters also criticized the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), which was introduced in 2004 with the promise that retirees would receive their pensions promptly upon retirement. However, the reality has been far different, with retirees waiting over a year without receiving any payments. “When this scheme was introduced, we were told we would receive our cheques on the same day we retired. But now, we are waiting months, even years, without any money,” one protester said.
The retirees are calling on the federal government, particularly the Accountant-General, to release their funds immediately, citing the hardship they are facing. “The Accountant-General releases funds at their own convenience, without considering the suffering we are going through,” one retiree remarked.
As the protest continues, the retirees have given the government a deadline to pay their outstanding entitlements by the end of the month. They are determined to keep fighting for what is rightfully theirs, hoping that their voices will be heard and their long-overdue payments will finally be made.
For now, the retirees remain under the hot sun, demanding justice, and waiting for a government response that will alleviate their suffering.
