October 06, (THEWILL) – A very strong disagreement and counter argument are brewing at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) as the pensioners are protesting over the issue of the Consequential Pension Adjustment which was supposed to have been paid on or before September 30, 2021.
Consequently, Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) branch on Tuesday, barricaded the headquarters of the authority following the inability of its management to pay Consequential Pension Adjustment (CPA) as approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.
This is not the first time, there is such disagreements; over the years pension funds were not remitted in FAAN.
THEWILL recalls that In 2007, N2.8bn was once taken from the N19.5bn aviation infrastructure intervention funds to pay FAAN staff pension but it appears, that such intervention did not help matters.
Already, Buhari had approved the implementation of the consequential adjustment to the pension benefits occasioned by the new minimum wage increase of 2019.
Speaking to journalists at the FAAN headquarters, the general secretary, NUP FAAN branch, Comrade Emeka Njoku, said the issue has been a prolonged one between FAAN management and pensioners with several meetings held without any result.
Njoku who noted that at one of the meetings it was agreed between both parties that the issue of the Consequential Pension Adjustment will be paid on or before September 30, 2021, explained that FAAN has refused to pay without any response on the matter.
“As we speak, they have not paid and there is no response from the management as to what is delaying the payment or giving us time as to when they are going to implement it. We have not got any response, hence, we asked our members to come to the headquarters to express their anger.”
Njoku explained that their colleagues in other ministries have been paid their CPA and wondered what was holding FAAN.
He warned that if at the end of October, FAAN failed to pay with arrears there will be a nationwide protest
Njoku said the CPA was a presidential approval that affected both pensioners and workers as president Buhari had signed it as an act which every organisation was mandated to implement
“So, it is not a matter of saying that it is a negotiated issue. It is a fiat approved that every organisation should pay to their workers and pensioners,” he said.
When contacted, the general manager corporate affairs, FAAN, Henrietta Yakubu said FAAN is paying furniture grant, cooperatives, gratuity and pension for now adding that once they are done, the consequential pension adjustment will be handled.
About the Author
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
