The Federal Parastatals and Private Sector Pensioners Association (FEPPPAN) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to include defined benefit scheme pensioners in the N35,000 monthly payment intended for workers for six months starting in September 2023, as outlined in the agreement between the federal government and organised labour.
FEPPPAN also implored President Tinubu not to overlook pensioners in all his governance decisions and to ensure that the senior citizens of Nigeria receive their entitlements, rights, and palliatives without any hindrance.
In a message to commemorate this year’s Pensioners’ Day, jointly signed by its Acting President General and General Secretary, Alhaji Babaji Magaji and Franklin O. Erinle, the union reiterated that Nigeria’s senior citizens deserve respect, care, and empathy for their efforts and contributions to nation-building, and their welfare should be prioritized by the government.
The message further stated, “The leadership of the Federal Parastatals and Private Sector Pensioners Association of Nigeria extends warm greetings to its members across the country on this special day, the National Day for Senior Citizens in Nigeria.
“Please recall that the immediate past President of the Federation, Muhammadu Buhari, through his then Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, declared October 5 every year as the National Day for Senior Citizens in Nigeria at the first Presidential Summit on Ageing held in Abuja in 2022.
“Therefore, FEPPPAN’s leadership thought it wise to specially extend greetings of divine healing and restoration, good health, long life, and prosperity to you and your families.
“You, our members, are FEPPPAN’s greatest asset and the lifeline of the Union. Therefore, we cherish you and will continue to do our best to protect and fight for your interests in all circumstances.
“We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal government to remember that the pensioners and senior citizens of this great country were the hands, power, and wisdom that lifted our dear country high and set her on the path of progress, growth, and development.
“We plead with him, being a senior citizen too, not to sit and watch the efforts of these heroes and heroines (senior citizens) be in vain.
He should not forsake or forget us in all his governance decisions. We urge him not to, in any way or at any time, deny the senior citizens of Nigeria their entitlements and rights, including palliatives, for any reason.
“The senior citizens of this country deserve all the respect, care, and empathy for their efforts and contributions to nation-building.
“In this regard, we commend our government for engraving this day in our national calendar.
“We also commend the proactive leadership style of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR in ensuring the regular payment of pensions to our members and extend our kudos to you, Mr President.
We urge you to use your presidential powers to encourage state governments to replicate the federal government’s empathetic regular payment of pensions to all their pensioners.
“We also commend the presidents and the entire leadership of Organised Labour for reaching the agreements that averted the looming industrial action.
We, the pensioners, are pleased that the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government took into account the challenges faced by Nigerian workers and citizens at large in this era of a harsh economic situation caused by the unavoidable removal of fuel subsidies.
“We urge that the agreements reached be implemented immediately to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians.
“Finally, we request the indulgence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to ensure that all senior citizens (pensioners under the defined benefit scheme) being paid by the Federal Government are included under item number one (1) of the agreements reached with Organised Labour for the payment of N35,000 monthly for 6 months, with effect from September 2023.”
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