… Say ‘We are treated like slaves’

Retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme in Edo State have voiced their frustration over what they describe as inhumane treatment, despite dedicating 35 years to public service. 

Chairman of the Contributory Pension Scheme Retirees Welfare Association, Edo State chapter, Mr. Andrew Asemota, led a delegation to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State Council in Benin, where he detailed their grievances.

Asemota lamented that the scheme, which they were compelled to join under the previous administration, has not been beneficial. 

He recalled that in 2010, the Adams Oshiomhole government passed a bill exempting workers with less than 10 years of service from the scheme. 

“However, when former Governor Godwin Obaseki assumed office in November 2016, workers noticed unexplained salary deductions starting in January 2017. 

“By March of that year, financial institutions began enrolling workers into the scheme without clear communication. The bill protecting workers with over ten years of service was effectively disregarded.

“The consequences became apparent in 2022 when retirees discovered they were receiving significantly lower gratuities than expected. 

Senior officers on grade level 17 received less than ₦2.7 million, while those on grade level 16 got less than ₦2.3 million. Some retirees were paid as little as ₦800,000 after 35 years of service, with no further monthly pension payments. 

Asemota described the situation as dire, stating that many retirees have been left in financial distress, unable to afford basic needs, healthcare, or support their families.

He called on the current administration to urgently review the pension scheme to prevent more retirees from falling into hardship. 

He emphasized that old age comes with health challenges, and many pensioners struggle with medical bills, unpaid school fees, and a lack of housing. 

Asemota warned that if the government fails to act, retirees would take their campaign to television and radio stations to amplify their plight.

In response, NUJ Edo State Chairman, Dr. Festus Alenkhe, pledged to appeal to the state government for an investigation into the scheme to determine why pensioners are receiving such meager sums. 

He also urged the association to formally petition the State House of Assembly to seek a review of the system.