The Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), South-East Zone, has commended Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, for clearing four years of outstanding gratuities owed to retirees in the state.
The union disclosed that the payments, covering gratuities from 2017 to 2020 and totalling approximately ₦22 billion, were liabilities inherited from the previous administration. The commendation was issued on Monday during the union’s zonal meeting in Awka, where pension leaders also urged South-East governors to prioritise retirees’ welfare and expedite the implementation of the proposed ₦32,000 minimum pension.
Speaking at the meeting, the South-East Chairman of the union, Anthony Ugozor, praised the Soludo administration for ensuring that retired workers received their gratuities without undue delay.
Ugozor added that monthly pensions in Anambra had been paid consistently under the current administration, urging other governors in the region to adopt a similar approach to pension management and retirees’ welfare.
He further called for the harmonisation of pension rates across the South-East, arguing that retirees on the same grade level should receive equal benefits, irrespective of their year of retirement.
Describing the current disparities as inequitable, Ugozor noted that pensioners who retired on the same Grade Level 12 were receiving significantly different amounts despite facing identical economic conditions.
“A retiree in 2020 may earn ₦15,000, while another who retired in 2025 receives ₦25,000 on the same grade level,” he said.
“In light of the proposed federal minimum pension of ₦32,000, we urge governors to implement the adjustment immediately upon official approval,” he added.
Ugozor also drew attention to an alleged unpaid sum of ₦490.18 million owed to primary school pensioners from the 2002 and 2003 cohorts. He claimed the funds remained with the Local Government Pension Board, even as some affected pensioners had died awaiting payment.
Earlier, the Anambra State Head of Service, Mrs. Ngozi Iwuno, assured pensioners of the government’s continued commitment to their welfare. She urged retirees to remain peaceful and expressed appreciation for their years of service and contributions to national development.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Anambra State, Mr. Humphrey Nwafor, called for unity among pensioners. He revealed that the NLC had already engaged relevant authorities on the proposed ₦32,000 minimum pension for retirees nationwide.
Nwafor further disclosed that the Soludo administration had been paying pensioners a non-taxable monthly stipend of ₦10,000 since October 2024. He added that top government officials were reviewing modalities for implementing the proposed pension structure in the state.
In his remarks, the National President of the union, Mr. Godwin Abumisi, urged pensioners not to lose hope despite prevailing economic challenges.
Abumisi stated that the approval of pension harmonisation by Bola Tinubu was already yielding positive outcomes for retirees nationwide, stressing that harmonisation remained essential for improving living standards and ensuring equitable treatment of pensioners across the country.
