A retiree collapsed at the entrance of the Kano State Government House as pensioners protested the non-payment of their retirement benefit on Thursday, October 6.
The Pensioners staged a protest in the state today to draw the attention of the authorities to their plight when one of them collapsed.
The elderly men and women marched from the Emir’s House in Nassarawa to the state government house, carrying placards with several inscriptions like “Monthly pension deductions must be stopped”, “Pay us our pension arrears”, “Resume compliance with pension laws”, “Pension our deducted benefits and monthly pension is non-taxable by law, why deduct on it?”
During the protest, one of the senior citizens who had joined the peaceful protest collapsed.
Speaking with newsmen, the state Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Chairman, Kabiru Ado Minijibir, who was there in solidarity with the protesting pensioners, said, the state owes 32,600 pensioners accumulated N36.900 billion unpaid arrears.
He added that as of June 2022, 18,111 pensioners were unpaid, adding that this problem has resulted in the deaths of many while others have taken ill with no money to settle hospital bills.
“We also hope that Government would set aside special funds to commence the immediate payment of the unsettled N30.900 billion funds, and also ensure that the unwarranted cut in thier money immediately stopped.
“Failure to this might result in the pensioners taking the last option which is legal action, but we know and believe that Governor Ganduje has his people in his heart as can be seen in the monthly payment of pension allowances and salaries”. He said.
See photos from the protest below,
