Retirees Honor State Leadership
The Nigerian Union of Pensioners, South-East Zone, has publicly praised Anambra State Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo for liquidating N22 billion in outstanding gratuities. These payments addressed a backlog accumulated between 2017 and 2020, which had been inherited from previous state administrations.
Anthony Ugozor, the union’s South-East chairman, announced the development during a zonal meeting in Awka. He highlighted that under Governor Soludo, retirees are now receiving their gratuities on time and monthly pensions are being issued consistently.
Calls for Regional Reform
Ugozor encouraged other regional governors to adopt similar policies to prioritize the needs of senior citizens. He specifically called for the standardization of pension rates and the implementation of the Federal Government’s proposed N32,000 minimum pension. He pointed out that current disparities, where retirees on the same grade level receive vastly different payouts based on their year of retirement, remain a significant concern that requires urgent legislative adjustment.
Outstanding Issues and Government Response
Despite the praise, the union reminded the Anambra government to release N490.18 million owed to primary school retirees from 2002 and 2003, funds currently held by the Local Government Pension Board. In response, Anambra Head of Service Ngozi Iwuno reaffirmed the government’s dedication to retiree welfare, while NLC Chairman Humphrey Nwafor noted that the state has been providing a non-taxable monthly stipend of N10,000 since October 2024 to support pensioners.
