By Dada Ahmed in Lokoja.
Long faces, anxiety, and uncertainty gave way to happiness on Friday for Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) pensioners nationwide as IBTC began the payment of the ₦32,000 wage award.
The correspondent of The Reporters in Lokoja, Kogi State, who monitored the development in the area,alongside feedback from pensioners in other states of the federation and who have received their wage awards, confirmed that the payment exercise has commenced.
An official of IBTC in Lokoja, who spoke with The Reporters on the development,confirmed the commencement of the payment in a telephone dialogue with our correspondent and assured affected pensioners that they would receive their entitlements within the shortest time possible.
He advised pensioners who were yet to receive the payment as of the time of filing this report at about 7p.m on Friday,to remain patient, assuring them that they “will receive their wage award within a reasonable time”.
Meanwhile, some of the affected pensioners commended The Reporters for what they described as its balanced, informed, and responsible coverage of the issue during the period of the delay.
The Reporters recalls that the National President of the Nigeria Union of Pension Contributory Pension Scheme (NUPCPS), Comrade Sylva Nwaiwu, about a week ago, gave the Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) up to December 31, 2025 ultimatum, to address the delay in the payment of pension increments and the wage award.
