FG May Increase Workers’ Pensions In 2024 – Wages Commission .

FG May Increase Workers’ Pensions In 2024 – Wages Commission


 The National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission (NSIWC) have presented a report to the Federal Government, suggesting a potential hike in pension stipends for federal civil service retirees in the coming year.

The proposed increase is anticipated to benefit pensioners under both the new and previous pension schemes of the Federal Government. In a meeting with the executive committee of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, led by Chairman Samuel Adewale, NSIWC officials deliberated on the report's status and various pension-related matters.

During the meeting, chaired by Ekpo Nta, the Chairman of the wages commission, details were disclosed in a statement by Emmanuel Njoku, the head of the commission's Press Unit. The statement highlighted, "The chairman of the commission informed his guests that the commission had forwarded its report on the harmonization of pensions to the government in May 2023. The report is under consideration after synthesizing inputs from relevant stakeholders, including pension unions, and factoring in the availability of funds. The commission has been diligently following up on this, given its implications for potential pension increases in 2024."

Njoku, in a conversation with Punch, added, "The raise is going to be in accordance with the negotiated minimum wage for Federal Government workers in both the current and previous pension schemes."

Addressing pensioners' grievances regarding the non-receipt of recently approved palliatives, the NSIWC chairman assured that relevant government bodies were addressing these issues.

The commission noted that Gabriel Oladele, the Chairman of the Committee on Pension NUP-ASU/Parastals, who was among the delegates, urged the NWISC to intervene in the incorrect computation of their consequential adjustments and unreasonable deductions from their pensions after decades of consistent enjoyment.

In response, Nta stated that the commission would investigate these issues based on the documents submitted by the union. He emphasized that the commission's circulars undergo wide consultations with major stakeholders, including the Federal Government. Nta clarified that the circulars had provisions for seeking clarification, emphasizing that no agency had the authority to unilaterally amend them without the NWISC's written consent.

The NWISC further stated in its release, "Usually, where there is a cogent reason, a crossed-reference clarification circular is issued by the commission after the due process for record purposes."

Nta advised the union to engage in negotiations with Health Maintenance Organisations for affordable health insurance covers for their members, elaborating on how they could benefit from such services.

He urged the senior citizens, to in future, avail themselves of having scheduled free online zoom meetings with him, instead of embarking on expensive and hazardous trips from all over the country given their ages.

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