- During the rally, NUPCPS National Chairman, Mr. Sylva Nwaiwu, expressed concern that pensioners under the CPS had not benefited from the increments in the National Minimum Wage Act
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, has assured that the Federal Government will begin clearing the backlog of pension payments under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
Speaking on Tuesday in Abuja during a peaceful rally by the Nigeria Union of Pensioners Contributory Pension Scheme Sector (NUPCPS) at the Ministry of Finance, Edun pledged to start the payments as early as next week.
“We will start next week to pay everything that we can under the current budget as approved by the National Assembly,” Edun stated. He acknowledged the backlog of pension contributions and affirmed that the government has devised a solution, noting that a committee under the Office of the Head of Service, along with the Minister of Budget, had discussed the matter.
“There is a plan for dealing with the backlog under the Contributory Pension Scheme, and we are committed to paying it this year,” Edun said, emphasizing the government’s dedication to the welfare of pensioners.
During the rally, NUPCPS National Chairman, Mr. Sylva Nwaiwu, expressed concern that pensioners under the CPS had not benefited from the increments in the National Minimum Wage Act. He highlighted that the government had not released accrued rights for pensioners for over 20 months, dating back to March 2023.
“Our senior citizens are suffering after dedicating their youthful years to serving the country. Many of our members are bedridden, some have died in the struggle, and we are unable to feed our families or pay medical bills,” Nwaiwu lamented, urging the government to address the plight of pensioners.