PENCOM STEPS IN AS POLICE DISPERSE LAGOS PENSIONERS PROTESTING UNPAID ARREARS

Tension erupted in Lagos on Monday after police officers reportedly used tear gas to disperse pensioners who staged a peaceful protest over unpaid pension arrears, delayed adjustments and outstanding wage awards.

The retirees, operating under the Nigeria Union of Pensioners’ Contributory Pension Scheme, had gathered at the Lagos House and Lagos State House of Assembly in Ikeja to demand the implementation of pension increases and payment of benefits they said had remained outstanding.

The protesters marched from different parts of the state carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs as they called on the Lagos State Government to address their grievances. The demonstration, however, turned chaotic after policemen attached to the Lagos State Command reportedly fired tear gas to disperse the elderly protesters, with some pensioners sustaining injuries in the process.

The pensioners said their main demands include the implementation of approved pension adjustments, payment of outstanding arrears and wage awards, as well as other benefits they believe are due to them after years of service.

Amid the protest, the National Pension Commission intervened in the dispute involving pensioners under the Contributory Pension Scheme in Lagos State.

PenCom acknowledged the concerns raised by the retirees and said it recognised the need to ensure that eligible pensioners receive benefits legitimately due to them. The commission disclosed that it had engaged the Lagos State Government and the Lagos State Pension Commission over the administration of the affected pensions.

However, PenCom explained that implementing pension increases involves several stages, including determining beneficiaries, calculating applicable adjustments, assessing actuarial liabilities, securing funding and supplying the necessary data and instructions to Pension Fund Administrators.

The commission said it was engaging the relevant stakeholders to resolve the outstanding issues and ensure that the appropriate procedures were completed.

The pensioners, however, expressed frustration over what they described as years of neglect and continued delays. Chairman of the NUP Lagos State Council, Olufemi Olanrewaju, alleged that more than 2,000 pensioners had died while waiting for their outstanding entitlements.

Olanrewaju further claimed that many retirees were currently battling illness and struggling to meet basic needs, including healthcare expenses. He questioned why the payments had not been implemented despite the availability of an actuarial report outlining the financial obligations involved.

The pensioners accused the Lagos State Government of failing to fulfil its obligations to retired workers and warned that they would continue pressing their demands until the outstanding payments were made.

Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Contributory Pensioners, Lagos State, Michael Omisande, also said the retirees would not abandon their agitation until the government addressed their grievances.

The development has renewed concerns about the welfare of retired workers and the implementation of pension adjustments for beneficiaries under the Contributory Pension Scheme. PenCom's intervention is expected to provide a platform for the affected parties to resolve the outstanding issues and determine how the arrears and other approved benefits can be paid.