Pensioners in Nigeria have continued to lament their welfare, as many of them, years after retirement are either not paid their gratuities or pensions. And even when they are paid, the pensions are either not regular or too small to make any impact. On many occasions, pensioners are seen at verification offices looking haggard and pitiable. These are men and women who gave their youth and strength to service of the country and now have to wallow in poverty in their old age.
Oftentimes, after so much lamentation, stories are published of one or two governors paying pensions or gratuity. It is done as though it is a favour to the pensioners and they ought to be celebrated and the retirees, thankful.
It must be stated clearly that this group of persons has paid its dues and the country cannot afford to fail them at this point in time when they no longer have the strength to fend for themselves.
In 2004, the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) was introduced and in 2014, its Act was amended. The aim was to entrench transparency and ease the process of pension payment and improve the lives of the pensioners generally. But that has not happened. The pensioners have not had it easy, with many of them having to depend on their children, who are also struggling under the harsh economic environment, for survival. And their case is worsened by the lack of a scheme for the elderly in Nigeria. In countries like the United Kingdom, for instance, senior citizens have access to free medical care just as they move about freely without paying for transportation. In Nigeria, none of that exists. The senior citizens are solely responsible for their welfare. They pay for everything out of pocket; which is why it is imperative for them to get that which legitimately belongs to them. There have been reports of some pensioners dying while waiting to receive their payments. There are also reports of pensioners who were evicted from their homes due to non-payment of rent, just as their children were sent away from school over non-payment of fees.
This does not paint the country in a good light. There is an urgent need to take a look at the plight of the pensioners with a view to addressing it. The federal government should consider a holistic review of the Pensions Act, to ensure that it reflects current realities. There are discrepancies in what retirees earn either due to how many years they were in employment or the type of job they had. This has led to a situation where some pensioners earn very little sums. There is a need for the government to peg a minimum amount that any senior citizen can earn irrespective of circumstances for employment. Furthermore, there is a need to beam searchlights on the private sector. There are incidents where private companies, even after deducting funds from staff members, refuse to remit same to the pension fund administrators (PFAs), thereby putting the workers in difficult positions upon retirement. The pension law must be applied to the letter. The regulators must ensure that all employers play by the rules and apply sanctions where necessary to protect the workers.
State governments need to do better as well. They cannot continue to treat the plight of the pensioners with levity. At the moment, they see this group of citizens as an inconvenience that they have to deal with and this should not be so. This is not the reward they should receive after serving the country.
It must be stated that the plight of the pensioners does not do well for the fight against corruption. This is because when those in service see what the retirees are going through, they may want to amass wealth even if through unconventional means, just to avoid being in that position. If Nigeria is serious about fighting corruption, then it must be seen to be treating people who have left the service well.
In light of the current economic challenge in the country, we at Daily Trust, are of the view that the plight of the pensioners requires urgent attention. This is not the time for rhetoric. There can no longer be delays. The federal and state governments must act now.