Federal pensioners lamented that Federal Government used their 10 months unpaid contributory pension to support the presidential campaign project of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The retirees said the action exposed them to abject poverty.

They made the accusation at a press conference in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while protesting their unpaid monthly allowance.

They said over 20 of their associates died in the struggle to have their pension paid.

The over 100 pensioners  carried banners with different writings such as “We have suffered enough after 35 years service to our fatherland”; “PenCom is owing retirees 10 months arrears of unpaid pension and gratuities”;  and “N4.6 trillion has been used for campaign, Abi na lie”.

Samuel Kojusola, the leader of the protesters, said the group noticed some irregularities in government’s implementation of Reform Act 2014.

Kojusola listed them to comprise calculation and compilation of retirement welfares, meager amount paid as monthly pension, review of pension and non-payment of retirement benefits.

He said it was intimidating that workers all over the country who retired under the contributory pension scheme since August 2014 are yet to have their lump sum or monthly payment settled by the institution.

The leader said: “What do they want the retiree to be eating after serving Federal Government of Nigeria for 35 years meritoriously? We suspect that our money in the kitty of Pencom has been used for 2015 electioneering campaign.”

He also claimed that almost a year after the Pension Reform Act 2014 was signed into law, contributory pensioners in Nigeria were yet enjoy increase on their pension since 2007 till date.

The chairman said pension review was a constitutional right of any retiree in Nigeria as enshrined under Section 15(4) of the new Act.

He said: ‘Retirees have been complaining seriously on meagre amount paid as monthly pension either as monthly withdrawal or annuity. Contributory pensions received only 20-25% of their last pay as monthly pension, while a pensioner in the old pension scheme receives 80% of his last pay as monthly pension’

It should be noted that retired workers of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria as well as National Electric Power Authority pensioners have recently asked the federal government to intervene in the supposed non-payment of their pensions.

READ MORE: http://www.naij.com/435245-retirees-accuse-jonathan-of-using-their-money-for-campaign.html