The Nigeria Union of Pensioners, NUP, has asked the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, PTAD, to exercise restraint before removing 23,089 “unverified” parastatals pensioners from its payroll.
The union made the appeal in a communique read by the Chairman, All Sectoral Units and Parastatals, NUP, Elder Alex Abu after a meeting of NUP parastatals sector on Tuesday in Abuja.
The NUP urged PTAD to give enough time and publicity to the list for proper scrutiny before any name is removed.
PTAD, in a letter to NUP, had said it would remove the names of pensioners who failed to appear for physical verification between April to November across the six geopolitical zones last year from its payroll this month.
The communique reads: “The meeting hereby calls on PTAD to be care and exercise restraint in removal of 23, 089 “unverified” parastatals pensioners. Enough time and publicity should be given to the list for proper scrutiny before any name is to be removed.
“The meeting frowns at the purported registration of another Trade Union by the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige in contravention of the extant labour laws and in utter disregard for the existing mother union – NUP which is already catering for the interests of all civil and paramilitary pensioners in Nigeria including all other parastatals.
“This is more so as the sector had never at any point in time been approached or consulted over the purported regrouping or registration of a new union by any group of persons to carve them out of the Nigeria union of pensioners which they are already comfortable with.
“The meeting berates the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment over the purported registration of Federal Parastatals and Private Sector Pensioners Association of Nigeria FEPPAN against the wishes of the majority of members of the parastatals pensioners despite the ongoing court cases and several court injunctions against the registration.
“The meeting seriously advises all government agencies in charge of pensions, especially PTAD to respect the collective decision and right of freedom of association of parastatals pensioners as being currently constituted.”
Source: The Nation
