Retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) have lamented exclusion from the N32,000 monthly pension increase approved by the federal government as part of the National Minimum Wage Amendment Act of 2024.
CPS disclosed this in a letter addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on September 30, 2024, through the Nigeria Union Pensioners, Contributory Pension Scheme Sector.
The letter, titled “Re: Consequential Adjustment in Pensions Arising from the Implementation of the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act, 2024,” was signed by Comrade Sylva C. Nwaiwu, National Chairman, and Comrade Bisan John, Secretary of the Central Action Committee.
In a copy of letter obtained from the WhatsApp social platform of NUP/CPS, the union expressed dismay over the exclusion of CPS pensioners from the approved increase.
It cited the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission’s (NSIWC) circular as a basis for their complaint.
The union recalled a previous communication of May 3, 2024, which identified CPS retirees as entitled to wage/pension increments but noted ongoing discrimination against them in NSIWC circulars.
The letter further detailed the establishment of a government committee set up to address outstanding liabilities in the CPS, led by former Head of the Civil Service of the federation,Dr. Yemi Folashade Esan.
The union said that while the committee’s report was welcomed, the recent NSIWC circular has left CPS retirees feeling demoralized and might prompt them to consider protests, if their situation remains unaddressed by October 15, 2024.
It urged President Tinubu to take immediate executive action to resolve the issue and prevent a potential public outcry from a marginalized class of pensioners that have contributed significantly to the building of Nigeria.
NUP/CPS, therefore, pleaded with the government to rectify the oversight, emphasizing that allowing the situation to persist would reflect poorly on the administration.