,,,,,Any hope for lasting solution?
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By Mohammed Suleiman Tola & Dada Ahmed.
The dignity of a nation is measured by how it treats its elderly, those who have labored to build its foundation and safeguard its future. Yet, in Nigeria, the reality for many retirees—particularly those under the Contributory Pension Scheme—paints a disheartening picture.
Reports of alarming deaths, deteriorating health, and widespread suffering among retirees have reached a critical point, demanding urgent attention. These are the people who, after devoting 35 years or more of their lives to public and private service, now find themselves abandoned by the system they helped sustain.
Curious minds in the country are increasingly worried over the plight of Nigeria’s retirees and described the ugly development as becoming a national tragedy.
The experience of many retirees is not nothing to write home about.Many have not received a single kobo in gratuities or pensions, for an upward of one year while those fortunate enough to be paid endure irregular, delayed, or even partial payments. It’s a cruel irony that those who once served the country with pride are now left to fend for themselves, trapped in a cycle of poverty, illness, and despair.
The lack of financial support from the government and pension administrators is quite literally a death sentence for some, according to feelers from those who know it and feel it.
When the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) was established in 2004,it was believed to be a lasting solution to the decades-long mismanagement of pension funds in Nigeria but 20 years of its existence,many retirees doubt if CPS is not heading to failure.
Though the aim was to ensure that retirees could live comfortably after years of service,regrettably, the reality has been far from this ideal. While the Pension Commission (PENCOM) and Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) were meant to protect retirees’ future, the system has been fraught with inefficiencies and delays.
The problem often begins at the point of retirement. Public and private sector employers frequently fail to pay repatriation allowances or housing savings owed to retirees. This neglect leaves former workers stranded, unable to maintain a basic standard of living. And for many, this is only the beginning of a nightmare that extends into their dealings with the PFAs, where pension payments are often delayed for months or even years.
One of the consequences of this abnormality, that has been a subject of discussion at many fora is, that pension management is uncertainty forcing current workers to indulge in corrupt practices in a desperate attempt to secure their futures.
According to these category of workers,they see the dehumanizing lives of retirees and, understandably, are gripped by the fear of becoming destitute themselves. The result has been that of a workforce that feels compelled to prioritize personal survival over national growth.
The psychological burden placed on retirees is immense, casting toll on them and their dependants.Anxiety, depression, and fear of the unknown weigh heavily on the minds of many retirees as they watch their peers succumb to illnesses and poverty. The situation is especially dire for retirees with health challenges who cannot afford basic medical care. Unable to pay for treatments or medications, they are left to suffer in silence.
It’s hard to quantify the emotional trauma this hoisted problem has impacted on the pensioners in focus, exemplify in stories of some retirees dying from preventable diseases or being unable to feed themselves. When retirees like Mohammed Suleiman Tola speak of the frustration and sadness, one can feel in their voices, characteristic of glaring palpable expression. They express a deep sense of betrayal, regretting that having served the nation faithfully and leaving without any blemish, they have been abandoned in the realm of misery and hopelessness.
“We are dying every day, not because we didn’t save or plan for our retirement, but because the system has failed us. It is heartbreaking to watch colleagues who were once strong, vibrant individuals deteriorate because they can’t afford basic care”Tola laments.Ahmed, who echoes this sentiment described the monthly CPS pension as a “peanut that can hardly an average of four for a week.
The problem of many retirees become more grave if they have not trained children up to a certain educational level to care for their financial needs.
The neglect of Nigeria’s retirees has been described by concerned Nigerians as worrisome and a personal tragedy for the individuals involved. In fact,many retirees see it is a national disgrace. These are the people who contributed to the building of Nigeria’s infrastructure, the education of its youth, and the functioning of its economy. To repay them with such indifference speaks volumes about the priorities of the public and private sector employers.
The question agitating inquisitive minds in Nigeria now is ,how can Nigeria claim to be on the path of progress when those who served the country for decades are left to die in poverty, some instalmentally? What message does this send to the younger generation? And how can we expect workers to remain loyal and committed when they see their future retirees abandoned and forgotten?
Labour analysts say a call for action is apt, because the sorry state of existence of pensioners in Nigeria, particularly those on CPS, must not be allowed to persist. It is time for a nationwide campaign to demand accountability from all stakeholders—employers, lawmakers, PENCOM, and PFAs. Obviously the suffering of retirees should be a matter of urgent national concern, and their voices must be amplified in view of their contribution to national development while in service. It is the duty of every Nigerian, especially those in positions of power, to ensure that the system is reformed to provide retirees with the financial security and dignity they deserve.
We cannot claim to be a nation on the rise if we allow our elderly to suffer and die in poverty. The time to act is now. If we can move mountains for the wealthiest among us, why can’t we do the same for those who have given their lives in service to this nation?
The plight of Nigeria’s CPS pensioners is a ticking time bomb. We cannot continue to look the other way while these class of retirees perish in silence. They deserve better. And as a nation, we must rise to the occasion to address this issue once and for all, because the future of Nigeria depends on it.
Unable to tolerate their situation any longer, members of NUPCPS staged a peaceful protest at the beginning of October in Abuja and demanded the payment of their consequential adjustment in pensions, which arose from the implementation of the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act, 2024.
During the protest, the National Chairman of NUPCPS, Mr. Sylva Nwaiwu, submitted a request letter to the president,Bola Ahmed Tinubu, enroute the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy.
In the letter, Nwaiwu expressed concern about the exclusion of pensioners under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) from the approved pension increment of N32,000 per month, as outlined in a circular by the National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission.
He emphasized that CPS pensioners, despite having the largest population and contributing significantly to building the government, were unjustly left out.
The letter was received by Mr. Chris Mgbodilo, Director of General Services in the ministry.
It is important to note that the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners/Contributory Pension Scheme remains committed to ensuring that its members receive their entitlements.
Information from the union’s social media indicates that an Emergency General Meeting has been scheduled to the union push for the prompt release of accrued rights and pension increments for CPS retirees by the government.
The meeting is set to take place at the Conference Hall of the Office of the Head of Service to the Government of the Federation,HOSGF, Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase 1, Abuja, at 9:00 a.m.
It is hoped that the outcome of this meeting will bring relief to CPS retirees in Nigeria.
The authors, who are media practitioners, retired from federal government service, under CPS.
ahmeddada008@gmail.com.
