Pensioners protest non-inclusion in bail-out loan

Pensioners in Ekiti State have protested what they called non-inclusion in the N9.6 billion bail-out loan released to the government by the Central Bank of Nigeria to offset arrears of workers’ salaries.

Similarly, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has given the state government till Tuesday to credit the accounts of civil servants with the arrears of their September 2014 salaries, 2014 and 2015 leave bonuses among other benefits.

The union vowed to mobilise workers to stage a “massive protest” and make the state “ungovernable” if the government fails to accede to their demands.

Speaking with journalists yesterday, the NUP Secretary, Rufus Ogedengbe, said pensioners were “shocked” when the Head of Service, Gbenga Faseluka, revealed at a meeting held with them on Tuesday that they would not benefit from the bailout funds.

Faseluka had during a press briefing to mark the commencement of Civil Service Week said the bailout funds would only accommodate the arrears of pensions leaving out arrears of gratuities.

Ogedengbe said the latest “bombshell” that pension arrears would no longer be paid from the bailout funds is unbearable.

He said: “On Tuesday, the Head of Service called us on the issue of bailout and we were told that the bailout fund does not cover pensions and gratuities for both state government and local government retirees.