Nigerian pensioners in dilemma

By ABBATI BUHARI
Posted: Monday, September 6, 2010

Who is a pensioner in Nigeria and the world over? According to the real Meaning in the English Dictionary,” a Pensioner”. Is a Person who completed his 35 years of public service. But in Nigeria a pensioner is a person who retired from public Service after spending his useful years working for the people. To some ex- state governors a Pensioner is a dead person who is no longer rendering any useful service to humanity. To say the Least such ex- governors have seen the hand work of Nigerian pensioners whom we are now sure that God has accepted their prayers more then the person who feels with huge accumulated public funds collected, illegally could get every thing on earth including leadership.
Pensioners across the country are now suffering, untold hardship due to non payments of their gratituties and pensions by either the federal government or some state government, It is a sad event. For a Family or person attaining the age of 60 years or 35 years in service to have retired, yet those in the authorities are deny to settle such pensioners their legitimate pensions. The former Nigerian President, Mr. Olusegun Obasanjo had promised all Nigerian Pensioners that the Federal Government would settle them their gratituties, pensions and pension arrears before he stepped out of office. The issue had become a “Political gimick”.
To many pensioners his Promise was regarded as nightmare, deceit, false and effort to divert their attention in order to win the last general elections. Up in the North millions of pensioners who retired since 2003-2006 are yet to receive a single kobo from federal authorities as pension. Information available in the pages of Nigerian newspapers have indicated that the monies meant for pensioners were released through Central Bank under the full control of the office of the Head of Service such pension funds are accruing interest for those supposed to release that funds Mr. Obasanjo was a military man but wore political gown, he deceived us leaving the blames on the new government.
Now we are calling the new President to check and find out what happened to the three trillions Naira released between 2006 - 2007 by Obasanjo Regime meant for Nigerian pensioners? There is a need on the part of his government to set- up a task - force for such payments. Otherwise it could take a several years ahead for those supposed to release such founds in the office of the head of the federal civil service are playing over the intelligent of the pensioners, The President may wish to note that Pensioners are dying every day because of poverty, unpredicted sickness and some have developed mental cases due to poor condition of living, unless the Issue of these unfortunate victims of circumstances is looked into by both the federal and some affected state governments whose predecessors refused to settle gratitutees but looted the treasures” Allah, the merciful and conpassionate will not allowed them to Live on perfect peace “The pensioners have been praying both the muslims and christians to God to expose those who cheated them through one way or the other.
It is only in Kano and Lagos states where there is no complain of none payment of gratitutees and pensions arrears as far as state government are concerned. In Jigawa state for rxample retired civil servants from 2003 - 2006 are yet to collect their gratitutes even through the monthly pension is being paid monthly. Pensioners are appealing to the government of Jigawa state to came to their aids by settling all the outstanding pensions en blocks to enhance their survivals and that of their families.
In developed countries such as USA and Britain, pensioners are treated with dignity and respect. All there entitlements are never held for longer periods. In some cases those who could not afford to own houses are being settled by the governments the same thing in the South Africa and other African Countries. But in Nigeria who cared about the pensioners? It is only those governors whose Style of Administration is different from others, are taking adequate care of pensioner’s, no pensioner I Supposed would complain of his/her Gratuities or pensions in Kano and Lagos states . That was why the pensioners are always the back bone of any successive government.

BUHARIis of Department of Mass Communication, Bayero University, Kano.