BY NONYELUM EKWENUGO
Kaduna
Representatives of the retirees of the Kaduna State government under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), have called on the governor Uba Sani to pay them their entitlement.
The Chairman of the retirees in the State, Prof. Nate Danjuma who spoke during the meeting with members on Thursday disclosed that they have lost over 1000 members due to hunger and poverty.
According to Prof. Danjuma, most of the retirees in the State have not receive their entitlement for over 7 years.
He called for cancellation of Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), saying that CPS is not in the interest of the retirees.
Prof. Danjuma appealed to the governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani to pay them their entitlement.
“As of today, we have over 1000 pensioners died awaiting their entitlement. There is a burial ongoing now. I have resolved that any retirees that dies now, we will arrange a convoy to take the corpse to government house.
“It is a serious case in Kaduna. All other States are paying only Kaduna. If Kaduna State will release N20bn they will settle most of us. It is a deliberate attempt from the government and not lack of funds”.
“Many of us left service 6 to 8 years ago without payment. We have not been paid a single kobo by the State government. We have written to the government, we have done everything we could as human beings but nothing happens “.
“We the retirees in Kaduna State don’t need CPS. CPS is sending people to their early grave. And we are calling on government to stop the system. CPS is not a system that should be sustain in the kind of Nigeria socio-economic system”.
Maureen David Shiri Wyom, a retired director from the quality assurance board, ministry of education said, retirees in Kaduna are not taking care of, we are suffering, she said.
Mrs Wyom who is a 65 year old woman explained that most of their members feed from hand to mouth, while others survive at the mercy of people, she said.
“We are appealing to the government to pay us our entitlements. We have served the State. They should pay us without frustrating us”.
The retirees however, rejected the 25 per cent access of entitlement, demanding 100 per cent payment.
Also speaking, the acting PRO of the CPS retirees, Idris Dan Asabe Abdullahi lamented that they are being subjected to inhuman treatment.
“We served this job for 35 good years and retired. But instead of giving us our money, in our appointment letters, they say, permanent and pensionable appointment. That is, immediately you retire, three months before your retirement, you are going to write that you will be retiring so-so day.
“At the end of that notice, they are supposed to prepare your whatever so that at the date you are retiring, they will give you your cheque or at least your money so that you will go and enjoy yourself.
“But the issue here in Kaduna is a different thing all together. You see, some of us are in rented houses, we have been driven away. Some of our children have been sent out of schools, to feed three times in a day is a problem now.
“We have been turned to beggars. If I call one of my friends now, he will not take my call. He will think that I’m looking for money. I want some assistance, Why?
“I retired as a director, level 16. But now, Wallahi, I’m telling you what to eat in my house I don’t have. So what kind of system is this?
“They say government is for the people, and by the people, but as far as we are concerned, retirees in Kaduna say, this government is not for us.It’s not for us, because they are killing us,” he said.
According to him, CPS is slavery, hence they want to be removed from it.
“So what I term this CPS, is compulsory or contributory pension slave. That is, after retirement, you will be put into slavery, instead of you to enjoy.
“I could remember in those days, during our youthful days, when a person retires, he will sit in front of his house, you know, he will cross his legs, reeading newspapers and what have you, he will be something of an emulation.
“People will be, oh, see this one, he has retired, he is enjoying his life. But what is happening now? We have become beggars,” he declared.
He added, ” So honestly, this contributory pension system, is a scam. We don’t like it. We don’t like it, we don’t like it.”
