May Day: Our pensions not remitted regularly, Anambra workers lament

The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Anambra State chapter, Humphrey Nwafor, has called on the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, to scrap the contributory pension scheme.

Nwafor said since the scheme began in 2014, it was designed not to succeed as monies deducted from workers’ salaries were not remitted regularly to the appropriate quarters.

He stated these during the Workers’ Day celebration in Awka, on Monday, while demanding that monies already deducted from workers’ salaries be refunded back to them.

Among several other demands made by the union include a review of deductions made from workers’ salaries for the recapitalisation of Ndiolu Microfinance Bank, payment of arrears of gratuity and pension, request for mass recruitment of staff to fill spaces created by retirement in the service, training and retraining of workers, problem of pensioners.

Nwafor said, “It is on record that since 2014 the contributory pension scheme started in the state, it seems that the scheme was designed not to succeed as monies deducted from workers’ salaries were not remitted regularly to the appropriate quarters.

‘The non-adherence to the pension scheme laws has made the organised labour take a stand that the scheme be scrapped and monies deducted from workers refunded back to them.

“We remind you, Mr Governor sir, that this decision is yet to see the light of the day. Congress, therefore, requests for the pronouncement to stop further deductions from workers’ salaries in the name of the pension scheme.

“We also demand the review of deductions made from workers’ salaries between March 2021 and May 2021 for the recapitalisation of Ndiolu Microfinance Bank so as to ascertain how much was deducted/generated, how much was expended and the balance after the recapitalisation.”

The union leader also lamented that pensioners are receiving as low as N333.45 as their monthly pension in spite of the fact that the retirees are owed several months of their pension.

Speaking on the theme for the year, ‘Workers’ rights and socio-economic justice’, Nwafor pointed out that workers’ rights are both legal rights and human rights relating to labour relations between workers and employers.

While commending the governor for the 10 per cent increase in the salaries of workers and the 2022 Christmas bonus of N15,000 as well as other welfare efforts, he noted that the new minimum wage of N30,000 and its consequential adjustment has not been fully implemented in Anambra.

He also decried the condition of pensioners in the state, stating that many of them are dying without being paid their retirement benefits.

“Congress, therefore, suggests and pleads that the governor should look into the agreement of January 24, 2020, between the state government and organised labour over the full implementation of the 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.

“It is painful to report that some of the retirees are dying of hunger and, most times, they find it difficult to take care of their families and dependents.

“We also appeal for a declaration by fiat N30,000 as the minimum pension in the state. This is eminent so the current situation where many pensioners are receiving as low as N333.45 as their monthly pension will be a thing of the past.

“When the Federal Government announced the salary increase of 40 per cent for federal workers, they should know that definitely, the state workers will demand their own and such should be extended to us because we go to the same market, our children go to the same school as the Federal workers and we live in the same country,” he added.

Soludo assured the workers of his determination to give them all that is due to them in terms of salaries, allowances and entitlements.

On the deductions being made from the workers’ salaries on a monthly basis, Soludo said, “We must get to the root of these deductions being made from workers’ salaries to find out who deducted and where the deductions are and whether they were paid into the pension managers’ account or not.

“We are also going to digitise civil service and improve our competence. We working hard to introduce uninterrupted power supply and high digital internet service to improve your skills”.

The governor, therefore, reminded the workers of the realities of the current socio-economic situation in the state and country at large, asking for understanding and cooperation in the struggle to move the state forward. Punch