Lagos State Pensioners, under the new Contributory Pension Scheme, have pleaded with Governor Bababjide Sanwo-Olu, to save them from untimely deaths, saying no fewer than 10 retirees die monthly waiting for unpaid benefits.
The pensioners in a letter, titled; “Save Our Souls Mr Bababjide Sanwo-Olu”, signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the association, Omisande Michael and Olagbaye Johnson, respectively, lamented that they had been dying of hunger, neglect and depression over unpaid monthly pensions for over four years.
The letter reads: “We appreciate your efforts in clearing the backlogs of pensions. However, we still have so many outstanding Pensions from 2020 till date. The Lagos state NUP/CPS Sector writes to bring to your attention the alarming and deplorable condition that Lagos state Contributory Pensioners are currently experiencing. As concerned citizen and advocate for social justice, there is an urgent need for your government to address these issues promptly.
“Contributory Pensioners who have served Lagos state with unwavering dedication and are now living in distressing circumstances, many of us are struggling to make ends meet due to the insufficient monthly pension payment that have failed to keep up with the cost of living.
“The major cause of this is as a result of non-remittance of our accrued benefit into our Retirement Pension’s Account in 2007 which would have increased our capital in our Retirement Saving Account (RSA).
“It’s unbelievable that under the Contributory Pension Scheme Reform Act, 2007, by Lagos state government, a Director on grade level 17 earns an average of N70,000 monthly Pension, Deputy Director, N52,000, while grade level 14 monthly Pension is N42,000, grade level 07 to 09 received N12,000.
“It may interest you that grade levels 1 to 4 are paid off. No monthly pension as if they are alien in their father’s land. We receive an average of ten notifications of death of our members on monthly basis. A series of letters have been written to your esteemed office on the above subject matter without any positive response.
“We will be glad if you could grant us an audience to discuss these unwavering issues with you as we could no longer absorb the hardship again. Yet fuel subsidy again. The heroes of our fathers land is now in vain in Lagos state. Do something now Mr Governor.
“We need immediate payment of the outstanding bonds of our members from 2020 till date, a comprehensive review of the Pension payment system with a view to implement the pension scheme of service documents fully.”
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