Edo NEPA, PHCN retirees demand N350bn arrears payment

File photo: Map of Edo State

Pensioners of the defunct National Electric Power Authority and Power Holding Company of Nigeria, Benin branch, on Friday protested the alleged withholding of their pensions and gratuities for 25 years, lamenting that many of their colleagues were dying amid hardship.

The retirees called on the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate to pay their outstanding entitlements, which they alleged had accumulated to more than N350bn.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Alile Osakioduwa alleged that the funds had been released to PTAD by the Federal Government, but that the retirees were yet to receive their entitlements.

“We have been asking for this payment, which the Federal Government has released. Putting everything together, it’s over N350bn that they are now owing us. And these accumulations are from harmonisation, monetisation and electricity rebates that they have not paid to us.

“Those who retired in the year 2000, their gratuity was short-paid. At least 45 per cent of it is what they are still owing us; they have not paid,” he said.

Osakioduwa also alleged that the retirees were yet to benefit from recent pension increments approved by the Federal Government, including those approved under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

According to him, the alleged failure to pay the outstanding entitlements had made it increasingly difficult for many of the retirees to cater for their medical expenses and provide for their families.

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“We are requesting PTAD to do the needful. The majority of our pensioners are dying. Many are even sick. If you can see some of them who are here now, you can see how age has reduced their strength. We worked in NEPA, which later became PHCN,” he said.

Also speaking, one of the retirees, Solomon Ifijeh, corroborated the claim that the funds had been released to PTAD, saying the money was released in May and that the retirees were assured that payment would be made by July.

“This money has been given to PTAD. In actual fact, this money was collected by PTAD in May this year. It was given to them by the Federal Government, facilitated by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, in May.

“They have received the money. They promised to pay us in July. First of all, they said June. Two weeks later, they said July. July has passed, and there is no sign that they want to pay us,” Ifijeh said.

Ifijeh appealed to Tinubu to intervene in the matter and direct PTAD to address the retirees’ grievances.

“We are using this medium to call on the government to please come to our rescue because our people are dying due to lack of money to take care of themselves.

“We want them to step into this matter. They should check the activities of PTAD because it is getting out of hand,” he said.