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From Obinna Odogwu, Awka
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Monday, lamented the horrible condition of pensioners in Anambra State, revealing that many of them receive as little as N333.45 monthly as their pensions.
Chairman of the group in the state, Humphery Nwafor, made the revelation in Awka, the state capital, while presenting his address at Dr Alex Ekwueme Square during the May Day celebration.
Nwafor, who also highlighted various needs of the workers, lamented that many pensioners were dying of hunger in the state. He revealed that many of the pensioners were still being owed several months of pensions.
“Congress appeals for declaration by fiat of N30,000 as minimum pension in the state. This is eminent our Solution Governor so that the current situation where many pensioners are receiving as low as N333.45 as their monthly pension will be a thing of the past.
“Consequently, Congress requests for the payment of arrears of 11 months pension owed some primary school pensioners from 2002 to 2003, amounting to N490,184,626.58.
“The arrears were approved for payment since 2014 and the approval is in the custody of Joint Accounts Allocation Committee (JAAC) waiting to be disbursed to the beneficiaries.
“Congress also appeals to our dear Governor to extend the 2022 Christmas gift of N15,000 to Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) pensioners in lieu of Christmas rice as they are yet to receive theirs till date”, Nwafor stated.
The NLC also requested for the full implementation of the national minimum wage in the state, saying that their agreement of January 24, 2020 has not been fully honoured.
“Congress desires to bring to your kind attention that the new minimum wage of N30,000 and its consequential adjustment has not been fully implemented in the state.
“Congress, therefore, suggests and pleads that Mr. Governor should look into the agreement of January 24, 2020 between the state government and organized labour over the full implementation of new minimum wage and its consequential adjustment and find a way of implementing it.
“Workers pressure is becoming increasingly unbearable and we may not continue to hold them”, Nwafor said.
