Ekiti NUP wants govt to declare state of emergency over unpaid pension benefits

The Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), in Ekiti State has called on Governor Kayode Fayemi to immediately declare State the state of emergency on all pension benefits before his administration elapsed.

The Pensioners also described as incredible that the government was owing N37.5 billion gratuity arrears of retirees, stressing that the N100 million being released monthly to defray the backlog should be jacked up to N500 million to accommodate their needs.

At a press conference in Ado Ekiti, the NUP Chairman, Joel Akinola, revealed that an aggregate of 587 pensioners are either dead or bedridden in Ekiti state due to infirmity suffered as a result of incapacity to get the required treatments for their ailments.

Akinola who also raised concern over enthusiasm displayed by government to pay the severance packages of Fayemi’s sacked aides, urged the Governor to pay their benefits alongside in the spirit of equity, justice and fair-play.

He added that the union had put its Lawyers on notice over alleged shabby treatment being meted out to them and that they may resort to litigation if their issues are not resolved expeditiously.