N2bn: NLC protests incessant deductions from monthly pension of retirees in Kano

By solacebase.com On Oct 7, 2022

NLC,NUP, Kano, Protest — The protesters at Kano government House on Thursday.

By Muhammad Sulaiman

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC in solidarity with Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP) came out enmass for a peaceful protest in Kano, Thursday, over incessant deduction of the state pensioners monthly stipends.

SOLACEBASE reports that the unions stormed the popular State road, in the metropolis to Kano state government House to show their displeasure over the recurring deduction from retirees’ pension in the last 20 months and also appealed to the state government for interventions.

According to a statement sent to the governor by the Nigerian Labour Congress, Kano chapter, at the peaceful protest, from January, 2021 to March 2022 (20 months) deductions running into billions of Naira, were deducted from the state and local government pensioners’ salary ‘with no cogent reasons and with no hope of overcoming the situation despite several attempts.

“The sum of two billion, five hundred and seventy three million, ninety-nine thousands fourty nine Naira, sixty one kobo (₦2,573,098,041.61) were deducted from the local government pensioners’ legitimate monthly pension with minimum of 13% monthly shortfall payment per pensioner in the month of October, 2021 and maximum of 26.2% in February, 2022.

“While from March, 2021 to August 2022 the sum of Nine Hundred and Six Million, Nine Hundred and seventeen thousands, Five hundred and ninety five Naira seventy one kobo only (N906, 917, 595.71) with minimum of 2% monthly payment shortfall in the month of September, 2021 and maximum of 11.2% in the month of August, 2022 from the state pensioners’ monthly entitlement,” the statement read.

While addressing newsmen during the protest Comrade Kabiru Ado Minjibir, Kano NLC Chairman, pleaded to all defaulting MDA’s on the remittance of 17% Monthly Contributions to immediately start full remittance from the month of September, 2022 and to also release substantial amount of funds at once to continue offsetting the outstanding liabilities.