The Coalition of Federal Pensioners of Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to immediately implement President Bola Tinubu’s approved pension increments and palliatives, warning that retirees continue to suffer while directives remain unexecuted.
National Chairman of the coalition, Mukaila Ogunbote, who also heads the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, NIPOST Chapter, addressed journalists in Lagos on Tuesday.
He said pensioners had given the government until the end of September to settle arrears, increments and palliatives, failing which they would stage a naked nationwide demonstration on October 6.
Ogunbote recalled that in October 2023, President Tinubu approved N35,000 for workers and N25,000 for pensioners as palliatives. He explained that while workers received their payments within one month of the approval, pensioners were still waiting nearly a year later.
“Workers demanded and received additional palliatives for ten months, but pensioners’ requests for six months’ worth have not been met,” he said. Ogunbote added that the President had also directed an increase of N13,000 in pensions, but no implementation had followed from either the Ministry of Finance or the Office of the Accountant-General.
“When we enquired, we were told our N32,000 increment was omitted from both the 2024 and 2025 budgets. This is injustice,” he said.
Several retirees at the briefing spoke of their experiences. Fashola Oluwo, a former staff of the Federal Ministry of Information, questioned why presidential directives affecting pensioners had not been executed.
He said many retirees were struggling to survive despite the approved increase, which itself was insufficient to cover the rising cost of living.
Dupe Ogunniyi, a retiree from the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, appealed to the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to intervene with the President.
She said many pensioners supported unemployed graduate children and depended entirely on their monthly pensions.
Adebola Akinduture, former Chairman of the Lagos branch of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, stressed that food security was the central concern.
“We are hungry. Food is medicine, yet without it, medicine is meaningless. Pensioners are starving,” he said.
Ogunbote said pensioners were resolved to make their grievances visible if the government continued to delay.
“Failure to act will leave us with no choice but to embark on a nationwide naked protest on October 6,” he declared.
