Fresh crisis as senior citizens challenged Tinubu on wage awards promise

• President Bola Tinubu-led federal government has been asked to fulfil its N25,000 wage award to pensioners
• The NUP, in a statement on Tuesday, August 27, recalled that the wage award was to cushion the effect of the removal of the fuel subsidy on the pensioners
• Bunmi Ogunkolade, the spokesperson of the pensioners, said the union had exploited several channels to appeal to the government to pay wages

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has called on the Federal Government to fulfil its promise of paying N25,000 wage awards to pensioners as a palliative measure to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.

Recall that President Bola Tinubu-led federal government made the promise last year, but the retirees are yet to receive the payment, despite federal workers and some state workers receiving their own palliative.

Tinubu asked to pay pensioners N25k wage awards Photo credit: @officialABAT
Source: Twitter

Pensioners ask Tinubu to increase minimum pension

According to Daily Trust, the NUP is also calling on President Tinubu to direct the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission to release a circular for the new "minimum pension" in line with the recently signed minimum wage law.

According to the NUP spokesman, Bunmi Ogunkolade, the union has made several appeals to the government through various channels, but their pleas have been ignored.

Ogunkolade expressed gratitude to the federal government for the 20% pension increment paid to pensioners from January to August 2024 but emphasized that two other issues—the palliative and minimum pension, remain unaddressed.

Pensioners ask for six months' wage awards

The NUP is seeking a six-month wage award of N25,000, as the government promised, to help pensioners cope with the effects of fuel subsidy removal.

The union is hopeful that the government will attend to the pending issues, having fulfilled its promise of a 20% pension increment.

Following the removal of the fuel subsidy, President Tinubu announced the payment of the wage award pending the implementation of the new minimum wage.

Wage awards: Governors paying more than N30k

Legit.ng earlier reported that President Tinubu announced the removal of the fuel subsidy over a year ago. Nigeria's economy has since been in disarray, with the immediate rise in inflation and, by extension, the cost of living.

He introduced a N35,000 wage pending the approval of the new minimum wage and appealed to governors to follow suit.

The current minimum wage for workers in the country is N30,000. The workers have staged protests and went on strike in their quest for an increase in the minimum wage.

Source: Legit.ng