Military pensioners decry underpayment as new pension scale takes off

Retired Army, Navy and Air Force Officers’ Association of Nigeria (RANOA), Kano state chapter appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to look into the discrepancies surrounding the implementation of revised gross consolidated armed forces pension scale as approved in 2017 to ensure that retired officers are paid their dues seamlessly.

The call was made as the implementation of the new pension scale tookoff in January. It was approved by President Buhari in November, 2017

The Publicity Secretary of has the association, Capt. Yusuf Abdulmalik (rtd) who spoke with our correspondent said what members of the association received in January as their monthly pension was far below the approved structure.

According to him, “The amount military pension board paid us as new pension rate in January 2019 was far below the pay chat approved by Mr. President in November 2017. We don’t understand the computation of the new pension rate they used. We know that budget pension funds appropriation is computed on the presidential approval as certified by salaries and wages commission”.

He said members of the association are currently owed 13 months arrears.

Meanwhile, the association felicitated with the President Muhammadu Buhari over his election victory in the just concluded presidential election.

The association urged him to reciprocate the goodwill Nigerians had shown him through the ballots by keeping to his campaign promises.

He expressed satisfaction with the turnout and smooth conduct of the elections last Saturday. It appealed to INEC and security agencies to maintain the same professionalism and neutrality during the forthcoming governorship and state House of Assembly elections.