Pensioners want all monies previously paid as pension to political office holders recovered

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has noted that the practice of paying pension, gratuity and severance allowance to political office holders cannot be justified given the nation’s current social realities.

NUP was reacting to a recent judgement by Appeal Court which overruled the payment of pension, gratuity and severance allowance to political officeholders.

Head, Information Unit of the union, Bunmi Ogunkolade, while speaking on Monday in Abuja, lauded the court’s judgement and called for a refund of all monies already collected.

“The practice of paying such monies to them is not sustainable and should not be allowed. The NUP is very happy with the judgement outlawing it.

“NUP wants those concerned to ensure that all monies previously collected by these politicians be refunded to government’s coffers,” Ogunkolade said.

He said it was not morally right to pay an elected public officer or political appointee pension, gratuity or severance allowance for holding such an office for three to eight years.

READ ALSO: Buhari not unconcerned over soldiers murder of 3 policemen, escape of alleged kidnapper —Presidency

“To even conceive such payment amounts to gross social injustice. For the present administration to be seen as being serious about fighting corruption, it must begin the process of recouping payments already effected,” he said.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja had faulted the payment of severance allowance, pension or gratuity to political office holders and political appointees, declaring that the practice was “morally wrong”.

A three-member panel of the court held that it was unjustifiable, in the face of the nation’s socio-economic reality, for some few politicians, who held office for not more than 8years, to allocate huge public funds to themselves in the name of pension and severance packages.

The panel particularly wondered why the politicians should enjoy such packages while civil servants, who committed most of their active years to the service of the nation, were still denied their retirement benefits.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now