Pensioners want FG to offset arrears before 2015 elections

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) on Wednesday urged the Federal Government to offset outstanding arrears of pensioners before 2015 elections.

The National President of the Union, Dr Abel Afolayan, told newsmen in Abuja that offsetting the arrears would buttress Federal Government’s good intension for its pensioners.

He called on the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorates (PTAD) to ensure that arrears in various categories of pensions were paid.

“The union urges the management of PTAD to step up effort in the payment of some outstanding arrears of pensions of various categories.

“The payrolling of new enrollees for payment as well as payment of pension and death gratuities to the deserving pensioners should also be accelerated,” he said.

Afolayan said the union appreciated President Goodluck Jonathan’s effort in making funds available for the payment of pensions.

“We are not against the President in all our agitations; we know that all the letters written on behalf of NUP by the Nigeria Labour Congress were not allowed to get to the President.

“What we want is our money which should be paid between now and the election year. We don’t want anyone to block it, that is why we are pleading with the Federal Government to make the payment before the election begins.”