By Appolos Christian
The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), has call on the Federal government to put in place strong policies on health with a view to providing affordable health care for Senior Citizens in the country.
Pensioners’s Union also decried the delay in implementation of minimum pension, which it said would tremendously empower the senior citizens to afford healthcare services, and thus engender long life among them.
Rising from its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, the pensioners in a communiqué made available to journalists, lamented that the poor pension of pensioners has made their participation in the National Health Insurance scheme a near impossibility.
NUP went on to say a national health policy that would cater for senior citizens will go a long way in enhancing the longetivity of these eminent citizens of the country and the attendant gains from drinking of the fountain of knowledge from this group of people.
Signed by NUP president, Dr Abel Afolayan and General Secretary, Elder Actor Zal, the communique frowned at the
nonchalance of the Federal Government at releasing the circular on pension increase in tandem with the recent wage increase of workers that was carried out in April, 2019.
“To this effect, the Union is urging the Federal Government to issue the circular on the pension increase with immediate effect. The meeting has decided to set in motion, the machineries to sponsor a bill in the National Assembly in respect of National Minimum pension. Its legal team has been mandated to take up the matter with immediate effect,” the communiqué stated.
The NEC also expressed dismay over non-payment of monthly pensions, gratuities and other entitlements to the State’s pensioners by both governors of of Imo and Rivers States
The communiqué reads further, “The meeting commended the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammad Buhari over his disposition to pensioners, particularly, prompt payment of pensions of federal pensioners, State pensioners with federal share and pensioners from Parastatals, payment of arrears of pensions of pensioners in parastatals.
The NEC expressed hope the PENCOM Board in which NUP is a member would soon be inaugurated.
