NPA says protesting pensioners’ group not recognised

Share this

The
management of the Nigerian Ports Authority has said that the Nigerian Ports
Authority Concerned Pensioners (NPACP) group is not known to any Nigerian law.

In a
statement, the NPA recognised that though members of this group, led by Mr.
Charles Ayo Binitie were former employees of the Authority, most of who left
the service between 2006 and 2007, they had refused to belong to the recognised
Nigerian Ports Authority Pensioners Welfare Association (NPAPWA).

It said that
the NPAPWA is recognised by management on the strength of a July 20, 2018
letter addressed to the Managing Director by the Chief Registrar, Federal High
Court Lagos, Mr. A.A Tahir, recognising Alhaji Umar Ali Imam as the authentic
caretaker committee member to take charge of the association.

According to
the NPA, the recognised group had in the last three years enjoyed audience with
the Authority as steps were taken to address some of the issues raised, and led
to:

·
Harmonisation of pensions ranging from 15% to
158% paid to all categories of
pensioners including the 2006/2007 set.

·
The increase of pensions to all categories of
pensioners including members of the NPACP by 3%

·
Payment of 18months arrears of 3% increase on
the harmonized pension/salary from January 2016 to June 2017

·
The NPA ensures that all its pensioners get
their monthly entitlements which cumulatively runs into about N700m on the 22nd
day of every month, way ahead of serving members of staff.

·
In addition to this, all pensioners have
access to the Authority’s medical facilities at no cost. In fact, the Authority
only recently extended the opportunities for pensioners to attend referral
medical facilities across the six geo-political zones of the country.

The NPA,
however, bemoaned that “In spite of all of these and the already stated
commitment of the Authority to the review of pensions every five years or
alongside any federal civil service salary review (whichever comes first) in
accordance with S.173 (3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, 1999 as amended, members of the NPACP have continued to try to hold
the Authority to ransom.

“Their
current grouse is that the 3% increase approved by the Authority is too little
and must be increased. This proposal is not just outrageous but unacceptable to
the Authority, which is aware of the state of its finances and cannot make unsustainable
commitments. Our position has also been validated by the National Salaries,
Incomes and Wages Commission, which clarified that the constitution leaves the
margin for increase of such remuneration at the discretion of the Authority.

“The NPACP is
also claiming that the Authority increased the salary of staff in January 2018
and as such, pensioners should benefit.

“The correct
position, which has been clarified by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages
Commission in a letter written to the Honourable Minister of Transportation on
May 31, 2018 is that the Authority only corrected “inherent anomalies” in its
salary scale and that this cannot be equated with a salary increase.

“The Board of
the NPA, in replying a letter written to it by the NPACP has also indicated
that the Authority will no longer entertain members of the NPACP or any group
of pensioners for that matter unless they channel their requests through the
NPAPWA.

“The NPA
advises all members of the NPACP who are said to contribute various sums of
money under the claims of “settling” people at the NPA or National Salaries,
Incomes and Wages Commission to desist from the act forthwith. There is in this
claim and NPA has no dealings with the NPACP.”

The NPA said
it had taken every opportunity to state its commitment to the welfare of its
workforce, serving or retired, but will not allow itself to be stampeded by the
NPACP or any other group.