Plight of federal workers and pensioners under PTAD

Sir: Please use your esteemed medium to bring to the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari to the plight of serving federal workers and pensioners under PTAD. It is the 28th of September 2017, as at the time of penning this plea, yet workers and pensioners have been paid their monthly salaries and pensions.

Friday, September 29 is the last working day of the month and Sunday is the Independence anniversary and to crown it all, Monday, October 2 is a public holiday. This means that it will be a long holiday without money for the upkeep of workers and pensioners under PTAD. Now what does the government expect workers and pensioners to do?

Since we are out of recession and crude oil has risen to $58 per barrel, the highest in recent times, it should reflect in prompt payment of salaries and pensions.

Buhari, who is reputed to be serious and passionate about the welfare of workers and pensioners should call the relevant agencies to order and direct the Ministry of Finance and PTAD to as a matter of urgency pay the September 2017, salary and pension. It is supposed to be paid electronically so it should reach workers and pensioners latest Friday, September 29. After all it would be unseemly that the Federal Government that tasks state governments to pay salaries and pensions has not yet performed its own obligations. Any delay is callous and wicked against the long suffering Nigerian workers and pensioners. The government should always consider the early payment of salaries and pensions during holiday periods.

Kudos to the private Pension Fund Administrators under the new pension contributory scheme which have paid their pensioners since the 21st of September, 2017. May God continue to bless their generations! Amen. In fact, the Federal Government should calculate the pension liabilities of pensioners under PTAD and transfer such monies to pension custodians so that PTAD no longer has to wait for Federal Government allocation for payment.
Alice Peters wrote from Abuja.