The Benue State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners has given the state government a 14-day ultimatum to clear outstanding pension arrears and gratuities inherited from past administrations or face a peaceful protest.
In a notification letter dated January 7 and forwarded to the state governor, Hyacinth Alia, the chairman and secretary of the union, Michael Vembe and Saater Bur, respectively, declared that the arrears include 96 months for local government pensioners and 42 months for state pensioners.
The letter, made available to journalists on Monday, stated, “Our demands include the payment of pension arrears and gratuities inherited from past administrations, which comprise 96 months for local government pensioners and 42 months for state pensioners.
“Out of the above-mentioned arrears, His Excellency directed that five months should be paid to all pensioners, but only state pensioners have so far been paid.
“We therefore demand that local government pensioners should also be paid the five months’ arrears already paid to state pensioners without delay.
“We further demand the harmonisation of pensions in Benue State in line with the directive of the Federal Government, which stipulates a minimum pension of ₦32,000 in accordance with the Minimum Wage Act, 2024.”
The union said meeting the demands would alleviate the suffering of pensioners in the state, some of whom currently receive as little as ₦2,000 as a monthly pension.
It further lamented that some retired permanent secretaries receive as low as ₦7,000 monthly, while their counterparts who retired recently earn over ₦300,000 as pension.
The union also decried the non-harmonisation of pensions in the state to the ₦32,000 minimum, contrary to a circular letter with reference number NUP/NHQ/08B/VOL.V dated October 22, 2024, and the ₦70,000 Minimum Wage Act of 2024, which has already been implemented for serving civil servants in the state.
The letter added, “In compliance with the resolution of the Benue State Council of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, it has become inevitable to state categorically that if, by January 21, 2026, our demands are not met, we shall have no option but to mobilise all pensioners across the 23 local government areas of the state to Makurdi for a two-day peaceful protest.
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