From From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
Olatunbosun Oyintiloye of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Osun State, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to look into the plights of contributory pensioners in the country.
He noted that delay or non-payment of pensions, inadequate funding, and corruption within the pension scheme has led to hardship and financial stress for pensioners.
He said pensioners have not been treated fairly by previous administrations in the country: “Many pensioners many years after retirement are still unable to access their gratuities. Many senior citizens are often paid between 25 and 50 per cent of the lump sum after retirement.”
He expressed concerns that many civil servants who had served the government in their prime would end up being subjected to untold hardship and poverty after retirement due to delay or nonpayment of retirement benefits due to them by government.
He commended Tinubu for approving N758 billion bond to clear 16 years pension liabilities: “More still needed to be done to save pensioners from poverty ravaging then after retirement leading to sickness and untimely death.”
Oyintiloye urged the President to work with the National Assembly in reviewing the 2004 Pensions Reform Act to enable pensioners to withdraw all their retirement savings immediately after exiting service and have access to free health care once they reach 65 years:
“That will enable retirees to take care of their needs, venture into any business of their wish, rather than live on monthly pension that may be insufficient.
“The kind of hardship many ex-workers are experiencing after retirement due to poor or delay in payment of retirement benefits may impact negatively on the morale of those still in service, making them to indulge in graft.
“Due to poor or delay in payment of retirement benefits, many retirees cannot afford a decent meal, good health care, good housing, among others after exiting service. These are the people that served the country in their prime.
“After retirement due to advance age, many of these pensioners are already suffering ailments and yet they cant avoid medication because they don’t have enough money. Even as retirees, many of these senior citizens still have many people depending on them.”