Nigerian pensioners demand N30, 000 minimum wage

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners, South-west zone, has urged governments at all levels on the need to also consider them in the implementation of the N30, 000 minimum wage.

The union, under the leadership of Kessington Odukola, made the call on Thursday in a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting of the union, held at the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Oyo State secretariat, Agbarigo Onireke, Ibadan.

The union leader, represented by the Oyo State secretary, Olusegun Abatan, said they were using the medium to call on all tiers of government to always do things in accordance with the Nigerian constitution.

“Labour was united for the first time in demanding for N30, 000 as a minimum wage for workers. However, the issue of minimum wage is on the executive list of the federal constitution of Nigeria, hence, it only needs a proper and adequate monitoring from the government side.”

The union emphasised that all governors must go along with the minimum wage issue in accordance with the Nigeria Constitution which stated precisely in Section 201(3) and 173(3) that pension should be concomitantly increased at any time wages and salaries are increased, or every five years or whichever comes earlier.

The communiqué called on members across the South-west states to be ready for street protest if the increase failed to include them.

“We use this medium to alert all pensioners in all States of the South West and beyond that street demonstrations and all forms of protests should commence if this increase is not paid to pensioners.

“Our union President want us all to be wary of who to vote for come this general election, pensioners must shun any candidate that are not ready to pay pensions and gratuities as at when due, we are not voting for anyhow party but a credible personality, we are not going to shun voting exercise come 2019 but we will rather be a stakeholder to see to the peaceful conduct of the election.”

He lamented on the poor management and handling of the pensioners by some of the South-west governors, pointing out that, “many of our members in the South-West have experienced untimely death due to unpaid gratuities in the last eight years.

“And this is the reason why we are using this communiqué to inform all pensioners, their families, to go for their permanent voters cards so they can vote for whoever they believe will have sympathy for the pensioners.”