New Nigerian Newspapers Pensioners Vow To Ensure Every Kobo Owed Its Members Is Paid

By Amos Tauna

Kaduna (Nigeria) — Irked over the loss of about 200 pensioners and the deteriorating health condition of members of New Nigerian Newspapers, NNN, its chairman, Idi Sule vowed not to withdraw the law suit stopping the owners from selling the company’s assets until every kobo due to them is paid.

“We will not withdraw the court case against the company and the Federal Government until the last kobo of the N8.8 billion areas of pensions owed them is paid,” he said.

Speaking to Journalaists at the ongoing Pensions Transitional Administration Directorate, PTAD, verification for pensioners taking place at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna, northwest Nigeria,  he noted that they have resolved not to withdraw the law suit, which since instituted, has prevented present owners of the company from restructuring it to become vibrant as it was in the past.

Sule observed that the amount approved for payment of arrears is a meagre N2.1 billion, far from the actual areas of N8.8 billion as at December 2016.

“We have lost up to 200 pensioners and up to this moment, people are bed ridden. It was a pathetic sight to behold as some came here for verification in ambulances,” he lamented.

Commenting on the verification exercise, he said they are yet to believe that the government is sincere in paying them, but are only waiting and would believe only when they receive alerts and go to the ATM and succeed in cashing money.

He explained that for 24 years, they have been in the struggle of getting their pensions.

“Initially, it was pegged at N2.1 billion but a committee set up by the Northern Governors which was headed by the Kaduna State Secretary to State Government, reviewed it and it was discovered to be N8.8 billion from January 2000 to December 2016,” he added.