.. To Embark On Mass Action Should Govt. Fails To Pay Before 12th May 2025
The woeful failure of the Finance Ministry with the allied institutions saddled with the duty of paying pensioners palliatives of 25,000 for six months since the last two years and the 32,000 naira pension increase since the last seven months, has forced the pensioners to cry to Mr. President, Bola Tinubu for succour.
In an open letter dated April 28th 2025, addressed to the Minister of Finance, the Chairman, South West Zonal Congress Of Pensioners, Dr Stephen Akinnifesi FATUSIN said the consequence of their conspiracy has been tragic for Pensioners and the inevitable implications for the image of the government of Mr President.
“We know that His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu is also a Senior Citizen who feels the pains of fellow Senior Citizens as a consequence of the harsh economic policies introduced to solve the multiple problems of the contemporary Nigerian society. This explains why Mr President approved a six-month palliative of 25,000 naira to all pensioners since more than two years ago and 35,000 naira to workers for the same duration. In addition, Mr President approved 32,000 naira pension increase for all DBS Pensioners. Sadly enough, the Finance Ministry and the allied establishments namely, Humanitarian Services, Accountant General, CBN and PTAD have all conspired to frustrate the good intentions of Mr President in this regard with painful and tragic consequences for the Senior Citizens many of whom have now needlessly died and a large number now confined to their homes in very miserable health conditions!, the statement emphasized.
HERE UNDER IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE LETTER
28th April, 2025
The Honourable Minister,
Federal Ministry of Finance,
Abuja.
Dear Sir,
*SEVEN MONTHS OUTSTANDING 32 THOUSAND NAIRA PENSION INCREASE AND SIX MONTHS 25 THOUSAND NAIRA PALLIATIVES FOR PENSIONERS AND THE GRIM REALITY OF THE PLIGHT OF PENSIONERS: AN IMMINENT MASS ACTION BY PENSIONERS*
The Defined Benefits Scheme Federal Pensioners of this great country otherwise known as *The Senior Citizens,* seek the indulgence of the Honourable Minister of Finance to use this medium to cry aloud to the government of His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that we are dying of hunger and needlessly of diseases associated with old age because the Finance Ministry with the allied institutions saddled with the duty of paying pensioners palliatives of 25,000 for six months since the last two years and the 32,000 naira pension increase since the last seven months and THREE DAYS have failed woefully to perform in this regard. The consequence has been tragic for Pensioners and the inevitable implications for the image of the government of Mr President.
We know that His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu is also a Senior Citizen who feels the pains of fellow Senior Citizens as a consequence of the harsh economic policies introduced to solve the multiple problems of the contemporary Nigerian society. This explains why Mr President approved a six-month palliative of 25,000 naira to all pensioners since more than two years ago and 35,000 naira to workers for the same duration. In addition, Mr President approved 32,000 naira pension increase for all DBS Pensioners. Sadly enough, the Finance Ministry and the allied establishments namely, Humanitarian Services, Accountant General, CBN and PTAD have all conspired to frustrate the good intentions of Mr President in this regard with painful and tragic consequences for the Senior Citizens many of whom have now needlessly died and a large number now confined to their homes in very miserable health conditions!
Rather than wait for the inevitable further tragic consequences of this clear lethargic attitude to the PLIGHT of the Senior Citizens of this great country, we have resolved to mobilize all DBS Pensioners who are still able, to PEACEFULLY parade the premises of the Finance Ministry in a trenchant appeal to Mr President to call his aides to order to save the Senior Citizens from a mass obliteration from the Nigerian Society.
We call on the Honourable Minister of Finance to kindly pay the six months 25,000 naira palliative as well as the 7 months arrears of pension increase to all DBS Pensioners BEFORE the 12th day of May, 2025. If this fails, we shall have no choice but to engage in the said mass action.
To ensure a wide publicity of this letter, we have resolved to publish same on multiple social media and news platforms.
Thank you very much for your prompt action.
Yours very sincerely,
Dr Stephen Akinnifesi FATUSIN,
Chairman,
South West Zonal Congress of Pensioners.
