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By Dada Ahmed in Lokoja.
A pensioner and public affairs commentator, Alhaji Mohammed Onipe Aliyu, has said that the Federal Government’s recent approval of 100 per cent gratuity for retiring public servants, though commendable, remains inadequate to fully address the challenges facing retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
Aliyu made the observation in Okene,in a statement he forwarded to The Reporters in Lokoja on Sunday, following the government’s decision to approve full gratuity payment for officers retiring after serving between 10 and 35 years in the federal public service.
He described the policy as a positive step towards correcting the long-standing injustice suffered by workers who retired under the CPS, noting that the move would provide some measure of relief to affected officers.
According to him, the decision signals a recognition by the Federal Government of the difficulties encountered by retirees under the scheme since its introduction.
However, Aliyu expressed concern that the policy excluded a significant number of pensioners who had retired since the inception of the CPS in 2007.
He noted that many of those retirees had continued to face financial hardship due to challenges associated with the implementation of the pension scheme.
Aliyu therefore called on the Federal Government to extend the 100 per cent gratuity approval to officers who retired between 2007 and the present time.
He argued that such a step would ensure fairness and provide long-awaited relief to pensioners who had already left service but were yet to benefit from the latest policy.
Aliyu questioned the uniform application of the 100 per cent gratuity to officers who served for widely varying periods ranging from 10 to 35 years.
According to him, adopting a flat rate for gratuity, irrespective of the length of service, could generate dissatisfaction among long-serving officers.
“There is a clear difference between retiring after 10 years and retiring after 35 years in the public service,” he said.
Aliyu warned that the policy might inadvertently encourage early retirement among public servants who may consider leaving service earlier in order to maximise the benefits.
He therefore urged the Federal Government to review the policy and consider introducing a more balanced framework that reflects the years of service rendered by officers.
Aliyu,who is also a writer on pension matters,appealed to the Presidency to urgently consider the issues raised in his open letter on the plight of retirees under the CPS.
He maintained that addressing the concerns would go a long way in strengthening confidence in the pension system and ensuring that retired public servants receive fair and dignified treatment after years of service to the nation.
