Delta State Government Approves Harmonized Rights of Pensioners

In order to continue to accord workers their due honour and ensure that retirees from Delta Civil Service live comfortably, the State Executive Council on Tuesday, February 4, approved the Harmonized Rights of Pensioners.

The Chairman of Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, Delta State Council, Comrade Goodluck Oforbruku accompanied by the State Chairman of Trade Union Congress,  TUC, Comrade Martins Bolum, made this known during a post-Exco briefing of journalists at Government House, Asaba.

They explained that the implication of the approval was that those who retired as far back as 2011, will now have their pension calculated with N18, 000 minimum wage instead of N7, 500 which was the minimum wage as at the time they retired.

The NLC chairman recalled that though the contributory pension law stipulated that when an Officer retires, he goes home with 50% of his last salary but when N7, 500 was used to calculate, officers were going home with about 15 to 30% percent of their salary.

He clarified saying, with the approval, the law will be implemented from 2011 to 2019 and this will cost the Government a whopping sum of 37 billion which will cover the period between March 2011 and December, 2019.

The labour leader stated that it was necessary to put the record straight that since the contributory pension scheme started in 2007, the sum of N32 billion has been contributed by the state government the Government of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa in four years contributed the sum of 22 billion.

“His administration is paying about N1.2 billion to N1.3 billion every month as pensions and as workers, we are thankful for all he has been doing to improve the civil service, workers welfare and wellbeing.”

Comrade Oforbruku commended Governor Okowa for answering the cry of workers in the state, noting that for the progressive disposition to the welfare of workers and pensioners, the labour family has concluded plans to induct the governor and his team that worked with labour to achieve this feat into workers hall of fame on 1st May, 2020 being the workers day celebration.