Pensioners under the aegis of Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) have requested that the federal government includes its members in the distribution of palliatives to ease the economic hardship occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy.
The pensioners also pleaded with government to consider them in the proposed six months tax-free payment to public servants as well as the payment of all outstanding liabilities to public and civil servants.
Briefing journalists in Abuja, the NUP President, Godwin Abumisi, flanked by other members of the national executive council of the union, said that the removal of fuel subsidy has further impoverished and pauperized the vulnerable Nigeria pensioners like other vulnerable group of persons who are struggling and battling for survival.
Although NUP commended President Bola Tinubu for taking the bull by the horn in the removal of fuel subsidy, it noted that the government appeared to have put the horse before the cart, adding that the first thing to be done before taking the decision was to put in place the necessary palliatives before removing the subsidy.
The senior citizens said in view of the ongoing discussion on the proposed palliatives which has taken the centerstage in the country, as critical stakeholders and an integral part of the society, they have to add their voices bearing in mind the vulnerability of their members.
“As the Tinubu-led Federal Government unfolds plans to cushion the economic hardship that the removal of the fuel subsidy has brought upon the people of Nigeria, the Nigeria Union of Pensioners as the statutory custodian as well as the voice of Nigeria pensioners across the length and breath of the country, wishes to categorically and unequivocally state and remind the Federal Government that pensioners must be included in the planned palliatives package, being one of the low-income earners in the country,” he said.
“There is no gainsaying that the removal of the fuel subsidy has further impoverished and pauperized the vulnerable Nigeria pensioners like other vulnerable group of persons in our society who are always struggling and battling for survival.
“It is on the above premise that the Union would like to make the following suggestions to the Federal/State/Local Governments as they roll out plans to mitigate the effects of the subsidy withdrawal:
“It is on record that the poorest of the poor in Nigeria today are resident in our rural communities where many families are not sure of a square meal in a day. It is also on record that there is no rural community in Nigeria, being it ward, village or hamlet that you cannot find pensioners/retirees who are struggling daily with poverty and hunger, alongside the rural populace, due to low pension earnings or non-payment of their monthly pension or pending gratuity, and in most cases, backlog of arrears of their pensions.
“Given the above scenario and for equitable reasons, if the Federal Government wishes to achieve its objective of the cash transfer to the poor, using the much touted social registers, it must consider the involvement and participation of those organized Unions/Associations that have the records/statistics (data base) of their members resident in both urban and rural areas, most especially the Pensioners’ Union (NUP), Market Women Organizations, the Physically Challenged Persons and other Professional Bodies.
notwithstanding. We believe that if the proposed palliatives are religiously implemented to the letter on record time devoid of the usual government bureaucratic bottlenecks, it will go a long way to assuage such pains as well as calm down frayed nerves of the obvious angry Nigerians.”
NUP called on the leadership of state councils to take up the matter of the palliatives package with their various State Governments on the ‘must’ inclusion of the pensioners either by the issuance of similar press releases or seeking audience with their respective State Governments or both, with immediate effect.
