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Pensioners defy downpour in Abuja mass protest
Written by Clement Idoko, Abuja Friday, 10 August 2012
NIGERIAN elderly citizens, on Thursday, defied the downpour in Abuja and took to the streets to protest against the delay in payment of their pension arrears, just as they called on President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately dissolve the Federal Pension Reform Task Force.
The pensioners also called on Dr Jonathan to intervene in the crisis to ensure the payment of their 53.4 per cent salary adjustment, which they put at N24.35 billion in arrears.
They observed that serving public officers had been paid the “Jonathan Award” since July 2010, when the president approved the salary increase.
The retirees, under the Joint Committee of the Associations of Federal Pensioners, commenced the protest from the Federal Civil Service Club, Mabushi, Abuja, and went through the Federal Secretariat under the downpour that lasted for several hours.
At the Federal Secretariat, the aggrieved pensioners barricaded the road from the Office of the Head of Civil Service of Federation to the Three Arms Zone, causing a traffic diversion for those going to Nyanya axis of the Federal Capital Territory.
They carried placards of various inscriptions and chanting “Maina must go;” “Maina has failed;” “Maina, yes, you recovered trillions of naira, pay our monthly and various pension arrears;” “Stop undue delay of payment of our monthly pension;” Head of Service, pay our
53.4% salary adjustment and arrears,” among others.
Addressing newsmen at the Federal Civil Service Club before the protest, the Chairman of the Joint Committee of the Association of Federal Pensioners, Mr James Obong Bassey, said as retired seasoned officers, they had exhausted all avenues for the government to respond positively to their demands.
He frowned on continued stay in office of the chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, Mr Abdulrasheed Maina in spite of recommendation by the Senate Committee to disband the team because “irregularities have characterised the reform process.”
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- ‘ Cases of rape rise to 84% in Nigeria’
- Dana air crash update: 23 aircrash victims’ families yet to receive compensation
- Mimiko inaugurates new Mother & Child hospital today
- N4.56b pension scam: Female accused hospitalised,trial stalled
- Construction workers hail FG’s decision on Lagos-Ibadan expressway
- Senate adjourns plenary for 1 week, dissolves to Appropriation committee.
- Blackout looms as Egbin power plant breaks down
- FMBN, NEXIM, BOA, IB lose N47bn in 6 months - CBN
- FirstBank wins Nigerian Bank of the Year award
- PDP tackles ACN over Tukur’s comments
- Electricity workers threaten strike over Wamakko
- ‘NDIC prosecuted 55 directors, staff of micro finance banks in 2011’
- Judgment in Oni’s appeal stalled, re-fixed for Jan 8
- Slain banker: Deceased had only 3 wounds -Accused’s father
- Appointments: S/West not marginalised —FCC
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