Pensioners within the federal civil service might experience an increase in their pension stipends next year, as outlined in the report on pension harmonization presented to the Federal Government by the National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission.
According to The PUNCH, the proposed raise is intended for both Federal Government pensioners under the new pension scheme and those covered by the previous scheme.
The National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission informed the executive committee of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners that it is actively pursuing the report submitted to the Federal Government concerning retirees’ pensions.
During a courtesy visit by the pensioners, led by Chairman Samuel Adewale, to the Chairman of the wages commission, Ekpo Nta, the NSIWC head addressed some of their queries.
A statement released in Abuja on Friday by the Head of the commission’s Press Unit, Emmanuel Njoku, confirmed these developments.
The statement read in part, “The chairman of the commission informed his guests that the commission had forwarded to the government sometime in May 2023, its report on the harmonisation of pensions for consideration after synthesising inputs from relevant stakeholders, including pension unions, and the availability of funds, and that the commission was regularly following this up since it would have a bearing in considering pension increases in 2024.”
When contacted to provide further explanation on the development, Njoke said, “The raise is going to be in accordance with the negotiated minimum wage for Federal Government workers both in the current and previous pension schemes.”
In response to complaints from pensioners about not receiving the recently approved palliatives, the NSIWC chairman, as per the statement, assured that relevant government bodies were addressing these concerns.
The commission highlighted that Chairman of the Committee on Pension NUP-ASU/Parastals, Gabriel Oladele, part of the delegation, urged NWISC to intervene in rectifying incorrect computations of consequential adjustments and unreasonable deductions from pensions, which persisted over many years.
Nta responded by affirming the commission’s commitment to investigate these issues based on the documents submitted by the union.
He emphasized that the commission’s circulars were formulated after extensive consultations with key stakeholders, including the Federal Government.
Nta clarified that the circulars allowed anyone to seek clarification, emphasizing that no agency had the authority to unilaterally modify them without written consent from NWISC.
“Usually, where there is cogent reason, a crossed-reference clarification circular is issued by the commission after due process for record purposes,” the NWISC stated in its statement.
The chairman elaborated that the commission, serving as the secretariat of the Tripartite Committee of the National Minimum Wage, would facilitate smooth arrangements for the deliberation of a new national minimum wage and the corresponding pension review in 2024. This alignment is mandated by the National Minimum Wage Act 2019 and Section 173(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
“In response to a pensioner’s observation that the constitution provides for a ‘corresponding increase in pensions,’ he (NWISC chairman) stated that the word ‘corresponding’ was not used in Section 173(3). He further clarified that increases in allowances for serving officers cannot also be interpreted as increases in salaries,” the NWISC stated.
