Pensioners in Lagos State have renewed calls on the state government to pay outstanding pension arrears and implement pension adjustments, saying many retirees are struggling to survive amid rising living costs.
The pensioners made the demand during an appearance on the Ask the Expert segment of Trade FM’s Breakfast Business Briefing, where the National Secretary of the Union of Pensioners Contributory Scheme, Abuja (NUPCPS), Comrade Bisan Olufemi John, and Lagos State pension leader, Comrade Michael Omisande, discussed the grievances behind the recent protest at the Lagos State Government Secretariat, Alausa.
According to them, pensioners under the Contributory Pension Scheme are owed pension adjustments dating back to 2010, alongside outstanding wage awards, while those under the Defined Benefit Scheme are owed 57 months of pension arrears and one year of wage award arrears.
Omisande said the union had repeatedly engaged the Lagos State Government over the issue and issued a 19-day notice before embarking on protests across the state.
He said the pensioners first staged a warning protest across local government areas on August 24, but were compelled to return to the streets on August 31 after they received no satisfactory response from the government.
The Lagos pension leader alleged that the August 31 protest, which he described as peaceful, was disrupted after police officers deployed tear gas, causing four pensioners to collapse. He said he was also affected by the tear gas.
The pensioners said their demands are not aimed at making retirees wealthy but at helping them cope with the economic hardship in the country.
John explained that pension adjustments are separate from regular pension contributions, arguing that when the salaries of serving workers are increased, pensioners are also entitled to corresponding adjustments in line with existing laws.
He said the adjustments may not necessarily be at the same percentage as workers’ salary increases but should be implemented to reflect the new wage structure.
The unionist also disclosed that the Lagos State Government had requested a template for implementing the pension adjustments, while an actuary had been engaged to calculate the amount due to individual pensioners.
According to him, the actuarial report had been completed and submitted to the relevant authorities, with the pensioners subsequently informed that the report had reached the offices of the governor and the Commissioner responsible for pension matters.
He, however, expressed concern that the implementation was still being delayed despite the steps already taken.
John said the union had also written to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu requesting a meeting to resolve the matter through dialogue and collective bargaining.
The pensioners expressed optimism that a meeting with the governor would take place on Thursday and lead to a resolution of the dispute.
They, however, warned that they would resume protests if the government failed to address their demands.
Beyond the arrears, the pensioners appealed to the Lagos State Government to introduce stronger welfare measures for retirees, including subsidised food and healthcare services.
Omisande urged the governor to establish a system where pensioners could access medicines at subsidised rates, stressing that many retirees are elderly and unable to cope with the rising cost of healthcare.
He said pensioners who spent decades working for the state deserved to enjoy their retirement rather than struggle to afford basic necessities.
The union also criticised the situation where some retirees allegedly receive monthly pensions as low as N20,000 to N50,000, describing such payments as inadequate in the face of current economic realities.
The pensioners urged the governor to prioritise their welfare alongside infrastructure development, arguing that public projects would have limited value if citizens, particularly elderly residents who served the state, could not afford basic healthcare and food.
They also appealed for greater transparency and competence in the administration of pension affairs, urging the state government to ensure that officials responsible for pension matters effectively communicate the concerns of retirees to the governor.
The pensioners maintained that their protests were driven by the need to secure what they described as their legitimate entitlements and not by a desire to disrupt the activities of the state government.
Lagos Pensioners Demand 16 Years’ Arrears, Subsidised Healthcare
