By: Bayero Ade
The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) in Benue State, Michael Vember, has raised concerns over the dire financial struggles faced by retirees in the state.
According to Starnews, Vember lamented that some pensioners still receive as little as N4,000 monthly, questioning how they can survive given the rising cost of living.
While acknowledging Governor Hyacinth Alia’s commitment to regular pension payments, he pointed out that local government pensioners are experiencing delays. According to him, state pensioners have received payments up to December, but their local government counterparts are yet to receive their November pensions, likely due to remittance issues from Local Government Chairmen.
He further revealed that Governor Alia inherited a significant backlog of unpaid pensions, including 96 months of arrears at the local government level and 42 months at the state level. Despite efforts to address these issues, many retirees continue to struggle with meager monthly payments that barely cover basic necessities.
Vember urged the government to prioritize pensioners’ welfare, emphasizing that the past year has been particularly challenging due to the rising cost of living. He expressed hope that the authorities would take swift action to address these concerns and improve the financial stability of retired workers in the state.
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