A group, Concerned PHCN Pensioners, has staged a protest at the liaison office of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, over the non-payment of their gratuities and arrears while urging the FG to intervene in the matter.
The leader of the group, Comrade Engineer Dunmoye Oladimeji, lamented that since most of the retirees left service many years ago, there had been one form of deception or the other by the PTAD management in connection with the payment of their arrears and gratuities over the years.
The group also alleged that the PTAD had been giving false assurances to them for the payment of their arrears while at the same time short-changing the pensioners of the 42 per cent outstanding payment of gratuity and monthly pension for 22 years, which it said had since been funded by the Federal Government since the year 2016.
Dunmoye, on behalf of the group, also alleged that the PTAD was yet to pay the balance of 23.3 per cent of the 33 per cent pension rates increase from the National Salaries and Incomes and Wages Commission, which took effect in 2014.
The group said there was also a balance of 23.3 per cent yet to be paid to the retirees of NEPA/PHCN.
The group, in a press statement, made its grievances known and solicited the intervention of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd).
The statement read in part, “We have made several presentations to the PTAD management to pay the cumulative arrears of our entitlements but they have employed tactics of deceptions and manipulations in their official response to our complaints.
“This led us to engage Mr Femi Falana (SAN) to write a petition letter to President Muhammadu Buhari in October 2021 to instruct PTAD to pay NEPA/PHCN pensioners (His Clients) all accrued cumulative arrears of entitlements.
The group also made demands to the FG, which included the immediate payment of the actual 33 per cent pension rate increase which it said took effect from 2015.
It also demanded the immediate payment of pension harmonisation for all pre-2003 retirees implemented after 10 years in 2013, with arrears from 2003 and 2013 yet to be paid to NEPA/PHCN pensioners.
“We demand immediate payment of the actual 33 per cent Pension Rates Increase awarded by former President, Goodluck Jonathan’s government with effect from July 1st, 2010 to December 2015(being skipped period of arrears due from PTAD.).”
A retiree, Engineer Oladotun Ayodeji, told our correspondent that it was an unfair practice by the management of PTAD to short-change retirees who were well into their 70s and 80s.
He said, “We are being short-changed in the payment of our pension and we are asking the government to come to our aid. we are within the age bracket of 70 and 80 and people are dying in multitude. That money is there for us to be paid.”
Another retiree, Ben Achibogu, accused PTAD of capitalising on the factions among electricity workers to deny their dues.
“PTAD is capitalizing on the fact that there are factions among workers to deny us our due.”
The management of PTAD, in a press release sent to our correspondent on his Whatsapp account, expressed dismay at the protest and assured the retirees of the organisation’s prompt attention to the issue of their welfare.
It stated, “The attention of PTAD Management has been drawn to a growing agitation by some group of PHCN Pensioners known as concerned PHCN Pensioners.
“They are alleging PTAD has colluded with some ‘powerful individuals’ to deprive them of the 33% pension increment as approved by the Federal Government in 2010.
“We would like to state unequivocally, the National Salaries, Incomes & Wages Commission, the Federal Government agency responsible for a policy statement on emoluments including pensions had directed via a letter of approval Ref: SWC/S/04/S.542/26 of 26th September 2014, that the retired staff of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) are not entitled to the pension increase of 33%.
“This is because PHCN pensioners were already on a special salary structure before the pension review for pensioners who, while in service, were on one of the Harmonized Salary Structures of the Federal Public Service.
“PTAD will continue to give priorities to the welfare of Defined Benefit Scheme Pensioners.”
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