Labour renews appeal for inclusion of pensioners in CPS

UFOMBA UZUEGBU

Organized labour, under the aegis of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, has stressed the need, to include pensioners  under the Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS.

The Union also implored the Government to restore payment of gratuity to public service employees who had been denied the benefits in the interest of justice, equity and fairness.

These were the high points of the communique issued at the end of its 5th Quadrennial National Delegates conference held at the Airport hotel, Ikeja,on Monday.

The communique signed by Comrades; Shehu Muhammed and Joshua Apebo, ASCSN National President and Secretary-General, respectively, stressed that pensioners should be included under the CPS in the review of pension rates.

“We wish to  invite the attention of the Federal Government to the fact that the non- inclusion of Pensioners under the CPS in the implementation of Pension increases, amounts to a fundamental breach and denial of their Constitutional rights as provided for in Section 137 (3) of the 1999 Constitution.

” We, therefore, appeal that pensioners under the CPS should be included in the  next Pension  review following the New Minimum Wage Act, 2024″, the communique noted .

On the need to restore gratuity to public service employees in treasury funded MDAs, it noted that since the colonial era, gratuity have always been paid to Public Service Employees as appreciation for meritorious services rendered to the nation

.However, the Pension Reform Act (PRA),2024, was silent on the issue of payment of gratuity to workers. “We, therefore, request that gratuity to Public Service employees in Treasury Funded MDAs should be restored without further delay”, it added.

On insecurity ,the communique lamented that  insecurity in different parts of the country has contributed to food shortages as farmers are prevented from carrying out agricultural activities.

” Since the security of life and property are primary responsibility of Government, we urge the authorities to take necessary measures to provide security in all parts of the country so that the citizens can go about their normal duties without fear,”it added.