The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), South-West zone, has appealed to the region’s governors to pay their pension allowances, including some increments, between now and the end of December.

The union made the appeal in Ibadan on Thursday at the end of the region’s chairs, secretaries, and leaders’ meeting.

According to the NUP South-West public relations officer (PRO), Olusegun Abatan, they expect their payments to reflect the 33 per cent increment of 2010 and the consequential adjustment of 2019.

He added that the above should be implemented alongside the 20 per cent and N32,000 pension increments approved by President Bola Tinubu in April and September 2024.

Mr Abatan said any South-West governor who had issued certain amounts as new minimum pension and did not factor in the different increments had only shortchanged them and must make necessary adjustments.

“Many South-West governors have been announcing the minimum wage increase for workers, while some have announced N30,000 or N20,000 as payment for pensioners.

“We appeal to governors in the South-West states to, as a matter of urgency, factor in the consequential adjustments for pensioners.

“We are appealing to our governors in the South-West to please consider all these increments and let them reflect on the payment of pensioners.

“The union demands that between now and the end of December, all payments and discussions about the pension increments should be finalised,” Mr Abatan said.

The PRO described the pensioners’ demands as constitutional, adding that the Nigerian constitution stipulates that pensions should be increased whenever workers’ salaries or wages are increased.

He, however, appreciated the region’s governors for increasing funding for the payment of gratuities to pensioners in their respective states.

He expressed concern that some civil servants across the federation had constituted themselves as obstacles to advancing pensioners’ demands.

Mr Abatan, however, advised such civil servants to always remember they, too, would soon become pensioners.

The union congratulated Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State for his re-election and thanked him for his love for pensioners in the state.

(NAN)