During the Workers' Day celebration at the Michael Okpara Square in Enugu, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Enugu State raised concerns about the plight of retirees in the state civil service. They highlighted that some retirees were still receiving a meager N1,000 monthly as their pension, emphasizing the urgent need for an upward review to improve retirees' social and economic well-being.
Comrade Benneth Asogwa, the TUC chairman, and Comrade Fabian Nwigbo, the NLC chairman, also expressed concerns about outstanding pension payments and called for the incorporation of parastatal retirees into the state central monthly pensions platform. They demanded the harmonization of pensions, payment of gratuity, and implementation of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) for Health Professionals and workers in the State Health system.
The workers further called for the review of the termination of appointments of some staff at the Enugu State College of Education Technical (ESCET), who had worked for over two years before being sacked. They emphasized the need for the government to commence payment of arrears of gratuity after the verification of pensioners to alleviate their suffering.
In response, Governor Peter Mbah, represented by his deputy, Ifeanyi Ossai, empathized with the Nigerian workers and acknowledged the challenges they face due to the economic situation in the country. He urged the workers to be patient, assuring them of the government's commitment to improving their welfare within the available resources.
The governor promised to look into the issues raised by the pensioners and assured them that dialogue would be used to resolve outstanding pension payments and other grievances. He also highlighted the government's efforts to create wealth, attract investments, and create jobs to improve the economic situation in the state.
