By Obansa Ibrahim, Lokoja
Nigerian pensioners, through their umbrella body, the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, (NUP), has unreservedly expressed their anger and frustrations on the pains unleashed on them and other vulnerable Nigerians over incessant hike in fuel prices, resulting from the ‘unplanned’ fuel subsidy removal as pronounced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his inauguration ceremony in 2023.
In a press statement signed by Comrade (Chief) Godwin I. Abumisi, National President and
Elder Actor Zal , General Secretary of the Union, noted that it is obvious that the Nigerian pensioners and other vulnerable groups in Nigeria are worse hit by the subsidy removal which resulted to hyperinflation, characterized by astronomical rise in the prices of goods and services which has negatively affected every strata of their lives.
Speaking further they said “Regrettably, as the poor Nigerians and pensioners alike who are always at the receiving end of every obnoxious and insensitive policy of Federal Government were yet to recover from the last hike in PMS which gave birth to the “End Bad Governance” protest across the country just a few months ago.
“And as if oblivious of the resultant consequences of the protests, the Federal Government defiantly went ahead to increase fuel price of PMS to further impoverish, pauperize and choke the Nigerian masses in a manner capable of sending them to their early graves.
“As far as the NUP is concerned, this is the height of government insensitivity and lawlessness which might result to unimaginable grave consequences, as Nigerians cannot afford to be beggers in their own oil-rich country.
“The essence of this press conference is to remind His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), the devastating conditions of Nigerian pensioners who are groaning and wallowing in abject poverty, worsened by the avoidable incessant fuel increase that have rendered their paltry monthly pensions useless.
“Pensioners have no one in government to speak for them, and the only voice they have which is the NUP is often neglected by the authority that be. And as we all know, a dog that can only bark but cannot bite is usually ignored/overlooked.
“To crown it all, Nigerians and pensioners alike are daily crying to high heavens to free them from this enslavement and exploitation in their own country. Our patience is overtaxed.The most unfortunate and the ‘unkindest cut’ of it all, and a case in point is the failure of the Federal Government to honour and fulfil its promise of the much-touted N25,000 palliatives to pensioners alongside the six (6) months wage award to both workers/pensioners which to the best of our knowledge had been overlooked and forgotten.
“In another development, and in line with the current economic situations we find ourselves, we wish to humbly suggest that the Federal and State Governments should consider using the new minimum wage of N70,000 as a basic or template to recompute pension emoluments. That is to say if the minimum wage for the workers is increased by 110%, the same rate of increment should be used to adjust pensions, as it is an incontrovertible fact that all categories of wage earners are in the same ship navigating stormy waters.
“Therefore, given the present economic quagmire we find ourselves, it will be discriminatory to approve 110% for workers and give the pensioners less in the same economy. This argument can be logically buttressed by the simple fact that, if the idea for the minimum wage is to enable workers meet up with the ever-increasing cost of living and cushion the effects of hyperinflation, then the pensioners should get it too, as they are also affected by the vagaries of economic hardship.
“As we all know the pensioners are no longer in service and do not have any other means of settling their ever pilling bills. It is therefore equitable that they should be given a living minimum pension.
“The Nigerian pensioners wish to express their disappointment with what is happening in the country today in a nation that prides itself as Giant of Africa and in negation of its national anthem which says “the labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain”.
“As far as the pensioners’ union is concerned, the labour of our heroes past and present is perpetually in vain, no thanks to their neglect over decades by the previous and present government.
“This is the reason why our union has always canvassed for its involvement in the distribution of palliatives/disbursement of any social intervention funds for its members, as well as appointment of its leaders to head all pension-related organizations/agencies for equitable and prudent management of their affairs in line with the wise saying that, it is “he who wears the shoes that knows where it pinches”
“Finally, Your Excellency, the onus of fixing a ‘broken’ economy lies with the leadership of every country. And it takes a courageous and committed leader to do this. We hereby call on you to take the bull by the horn and do the needful against all odds, towards addressing the hunger problem ravaging the country, simply caused by fuel price hike which in our thinking and judgement is reversible.
“Our amiable President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we admonish you to listen to the voice of the people and wipe their tears, and not to succumb to the dictates of the so-called international economists (through the instrumentality of the IMF) who have always held the economy of this country by the jugular, because of their selfish interests.
“As a man of action, Nigerians expect action from you now to fix the economy before the situation gets out of hand. “A stitch in time saves nine”.