By Kemi Olatunde

Pa Olalekan is a septuagenarian who spent his active years in the Federal Civil Service. He retired in 2007 after spending the mandatory 35 years in service. 15 years on, he is yet to get his gratuity. His words: “I no longer understand what is going on I have travelled from Akure to Abuja for screening several times that I have lost count. I cannot really tell what was wrong but they have been  processing the money for over 15 years on.

       Thank God they are paying us pension, things would have been hard. I retired along with my wife then. But she died after five years because there was no money to buy drugs to treat her health condition.

       “It  affected her kidney and after two years of futile struggle, she gave up the ghost,” he narrated with tears in his eyes.

He told The Hope that he no longer understands the process and wondered if he too would not die without collecting his benefits like his wife.

Retirees in Nigeria go through a gamut of experiences, some downright unpleasant such as consistent verification exercise irrespective of their health status to have their entitlements settled by concerned authorities. They work actively for years yet, they retire to be confronted with challenges including problems associated with planning and management, the exit stage, corruption at pension’s office societal discrimination health challenges and unexpected death among others.

A few months ago, Mrs Adebayo Olabisi (not real name) was sighted at the Ondo State Pensions Board. She came there to create a scene due to the non payment of her arrears. She was shabbily dressed as she dragged her souvenir bag behind her wrapper which had one of its edge sweeping the walkway as she walked.

“Why is my arrears not paid? I have dropped the required documents several times on request to ensure that it is effected but it has not yielded any positive result. Please help me, I am a widow with several needs. Pay my money!” These were her words as she banged on doors while descending the staircase to exit the compound.

The 70-year-old retiree while speaking with The Hope explained that she retired from active service of the state in 2013 as a Headmistress of a government primary school, noting that she didn’t receive two months salaries, which she was entitled to.

According to her; “I was introduced to the then Chairman, Pensions Board who promised to do the needful. After this only one month was paid. This prompted me to pay an unscheduled visit to the board to lay complaint about it and to express my grievance. Before then, I kept visiting the board to present my documents for the payment of the arrears. As a pensioner, every money count as most of us don’t have any other source of income except the monthly pension.

“Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has been active in ensuring that we get the pension at the right time but those in charge should always do it the proper way.

“On the issue of my gratuity, I have received N200,000 out of over N4 million. I believe it will be paid by God’s grace. I have heard from other pensioners that one has to settle some workers in the board to have the money paid, this is uncalled for. Why should I part with a percentage to have my entitlement? As a 2013 retiree, I ought to have been paid as my juniors have received theirs.”

A 66-year-old retired teacher, Dr. (Mrs) Khadijat Yakubu who said that she had received her gratuity, commended the government for the regular payment of pension in the state.

She described the verification exercise for pensioners as necessity noting that it is proper for effective planning.

Speaking extensively, she said; “I am grateful that I am retired. During my service years, I did my best in the midst of challenges but these days, I have peace. As a teacher, it is your duty to give priority to pupils’ welfare among several other things to ensure that the system keeps running.

“The screening some pensioners complain about is occasional and it is for our benefit. It is to ensure that pensioners’ money isn’t diverted. A lot of people have died while their money will be collected by some other people. Hence, the verification exercise is out in place to ensure that no one defraud government. Screening is a normal thing.

Speaking on extortion of pensioners in order to have their gratuity paid, she said that she never had such experience, stating that “I collected it with ease, what I gave out was voluntarily and I got my money at once.”

80-year-old Ayegbusi Joseph who retired from the Ministry of Works and Housing explained that it is important that government review the pension of those who have retired over 20 years ago in order to meet up with the reality of the recent economy.

Ayegbusi who was visited in his Shagari Village abode in Akure lamented the hardship being experienced by some pensioners.

He said; “what obtains today is far different from that of yester years. A man died recently and his pension was just N9.00 because that was what he earned before he retired. A lot of pensioners earn peanut. There is the need to review pension. People who retired in 1995 are still alive, likewise those of 2008. When you compare 2022 pensioner with those who have retired a long time ago, you will know that there is huge difference between their pension. Pension should be reviewed on regular basis; it could be in three or five years so as to measure up with the reality of the economy. I can’t afford to ride a car with my take home due to fuel increment. Pensioners find it hard to cope these days. We trek long distances and don’t eat balanced meal because we cannot afford it.

“Government should make things better for us so that we can all be happy. Government has increased the number of pensioners through politics and this should not be. For instance, a member of House of Assembly who spends eight years gets retirement benefits after the tenure. This has really affected our take home. Allowance of politicians should be slashed to cater for pensioners.

“I collected my gratuity long time ago at once through a commission thus making the process easy but these days, people have been lamenting the high rate of extortion by some government workers before getting their gratuity. Government should look to this area.”

Another 70-year-old retired teacher who doesn’t want her name in print called on government to embrace transparency in the payment of gratuity noting that most pensioners parted with huge amount of money to have their entitlement.

She described her retirement period as the best part of her life noting that she is well taken care of by her children whom she raised while in active service.

The active retiree who was seen cooling off on her mini farm within her compound in the early hours of Monday said; “I retired in 2012 but yet to receive my gratuity even though I have received a token from it. I parted with some of it to have it anyway. I was given N1.25 million out of it. Any pensioner who can cooperate with the people in charge will get it. You will be given an account which you send the agreed percentage to. I parted with 15 percent of the paid amount then.

“I was challenged during my service years as I lost my husband when my children were young. I traded and farm while in service to raise my children. I am glad that I am retired because I have more time to care for myself and my grandchildren.

“My happiest day was my retirement day because throughout my service years, people never celebrated with me. Also, I was able to save money during my last few years in service. After my retirement, all my children got married, I built my house and I have several grandchildren.

“I farm not because I am hungry but because I don’t want weed to take over my compound and also use it to exercise my body. I spend maximum of one and half hours in the farm.”

Speaking on the claimed rigorous verification exercise for pensioners, she explained that it is crucial for pensioners to go through it, adding that it has been stressful for only the aged among them.

“The verification exercise is often and there has been an improvement on the process. It has not been stressful for me but for the unhealthy ones. Pensioners who are abroad go through online screening too. There is still room for improvement especially for those whose health are failing. There should be given special consideration.”

Alhaji Badmos Mustapha retired seven years ago as Director, Local Government Administration. He told The Hope that Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has given a lease of hope to pensioners in the state with the release of fund to cater for them.

His words; “Being a pensioner has been a wonderful experience and recently Governor Akeredolu brought smiles to our faces. “On monthly basis, Aketi pays the sum of N570 million for the payment of pensioners of civil/public servants of the state. Graciously, he has also approved the disbursement of N1billion as gratuity for pensioners of Local Government.

“Also, for 2011, 2012 and 2013 pensioners, all outstanding gratuities will be paid. The N1billion will be on quarterly release and between now and December, 2024, the Governor would have paid all outstanding gratuities.

“Hopefully, within the next quarter, another N1billion will be released and it will take care of 2014, 2015 and 2016.”

“Aketi pays our pension as and when due. It is seamless and pensioners are comfortable.”

Badmus who lauded the cordial relationship between the state government and the state Chairman, Nigerian Union of Pensioners noting that it has facilitated positive dividend to members.

While commenting on the rate of extortion in the process of gratuity payment, he hinted that a committee has been out in place to address it holistically.

The Hope visited the Local Government Service Commission Complex which houses the pensions board to make some findings and it was gathered that it is true that some workers are into the act of obtaining a percentage from pensioners to fast track the process of gratuity payment.

This reporter who claimed to be in the vicinity to seek help on behalf of her parent’s  gratuity payment engaged a man she met about the issue and the below was revealed.

“The point is that those who claim to know the boss or the power that be, don’t have their money paid on time most times. The so Calles boss may give the assurance that a file has gotten to the right place for payment whereas those to pick the file may not do so because nothing has been dropped for them.

“There are a lot of guys here who help in fast tracking the process. All you need to do is to tip them and they go through the whole process for you except verification where the concerned pensioner has to appear in person for capturing.

“It is true that people forfeit part of the money to get it out. There is a guy I know whose office is close to the Governor’s office, All I have to do is to link you up with him and when the needful is done, the files are pushed forward for immediate payment.

“Recently, some 2016 and 2017 pensioners got paid whereas some from previous years have never gotten a dime because they failed to go through these people.’