A group of federal pensioners on Monday stormed the Lagos office of the Pension Transitional Arrangements Directorate (PTAD), demanding the immediate implementation of a ₦32,000 monthly pension increase approved by President Bola Tinubu.
Led by Mukaila Ogunbote, chairman of the Coalition of Federal Pensioners, Lagos chapter, the demonstrators carried placards with messages such as “PTAD is all about you; stop selection” and “No ₦32,000 increment.” Ogunbote said the delay in payment had pushed many retirees “to the brink of survival” and accused Finance Minister Wale Edun of obstructing the disbursement.
President Tinubu had last year authorised the “long-overdue pension increases and a minimum pension guarantee” for the most vulnerable retirees under the contributory pension scheme, with a directive for immediate implementation issued only last week after a briefing from National Pension Commission Director General, Omolola Oloworaran.
PTAD liaison officer Cashmir Audu told the protesters the increment had indeed been approved, but that the directorate lacked funds to implement it. “It is the civil right of pensioners to protest anytime,” he said. “The ₦32,000 was approved last year, but unfortunately, we don’t have funds.”
