Emmanuel Ochayi
In a plea to the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), the Association of Retired Federal Senior Public Officers of Nigeria (ARFESPON) has called for the adoption of the approved monthly benefit payment structure as recommended by the Salaries and Wages Commission.
The association also urged PTAD to adhere to the Constitution’s Section 173, which advocates automatic increases in pension benefits with every salary and allowance increment for current public employees.
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ARFESPON made this demand following PTAD’s reluctance to implement the constitutional provision for pension benefit increases every five years in the absence of salary hikes for serving government workers.
The issue of harmonization of benefits payable to retirees, a long-standing request by ARFESPON members, has also been overlooked, leading to lamentation for those who have passed away during the struggle.
Chairman of ARFESPON’s Lagos Chapter, Olufemi Odewabi, called upon PTAD’s Executive Secretary, Dr. Chioma Ejikeme, to use her second tenure as an opportunity to rectify past mistakes and maltreatment of pensioners, citing unfulfilled promises by the federal government through PTAD.
Highlighting the issue of benefit harmonization, Odewabi revealed that PTAD had promised to establish a committee for this purpose in January 2022, but no progress has been made to date.
