In this interview, Sir Jerry Charles Akpan, the Chairman of Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Abak branch, talks on the hardships facing some pensioners, insecurity of Abak Sub- Treasury and need for the state government to harmonise pensions for the retirees.
Excerpts
How long have you been in the position?
I just finished my first tenure. This is my second tenure which will end in 2023.
What are your achievements?
Well, they are plenty. For instance, the backlog of gratuities and pensions to retired primary school teachers that have not been paid is what we are presenting to the state government. What makes us not very active is that we cannot on our own write to any government functionary, either the Secretary to the State Government or the governor himself. What we do is that anytime we get complaints from our members, we write to the state branch and whatever they direct is what is done. But 90 per cent of our people here are happy with what we are doing.
What is the total figure of all pensions and gratuities owed to your members?
I cannot say that off-hand now. So, I will not mix up the figure. The governor says he has paid, and the retired primary school teachers, on the other hand, say they have not been paid from 2001 to 2009. A genuine statement from my state chairman has it that the backlog of their pensions has been reduced to only one month. The government says it is owing to them one month and there is no mention of gratuities.
Do retired civil servants fair well under your tenure?
Of course, they do. But some of them who retired between 2012 and 2014 are being owed their gratuities. The union has worked so hard to ensure that when one retires, they immediately become eligible to receive pensions.
What are the challenges facing your members?
The very first problem of this branch is the insecurity of Sub-Treasury, Abak. This Sub Treasury has no pipe-borne water. I wonder why the government is very quiet. The Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly has been informed. A lot of government functionaries have been informed but nothing has been done. A place that should be thoroughly secured has become a thoroughfare. You cannot get any comfort working here. Our request is that this Sub Treasury should be made to reach the standards of other Sub-treasuries in the state.
What is your view on harmonisation of pensions?
Well, we were still talking about that when they changed it to what they call ‘minimum pension.’ Instead of harmonising, they are saying minimum pension because the pension is also minimum wage.
Which one do you prefer?
I would have preferred harmonisation to minimum pension. If I tell you what I go home with as I am staying here, you will weep. There’s someone who retired as a consultant gynaecologist in the state, who goes home with as low as N9,000. There are people who even go home with N2,000.
Any message to pensioners?
Well, I will have to tell them to keep holding on. Even though Akwa Ibom is the highest-paid as far as federal allocation is concerned, the government is still owing retirees. The government should look passionately into these issues because retirees buy from the same market as other people.
