The Federal Government’s recent announcement regarding the introduction of a monthly payment of N25,000 to vulnerable pensioners has sparked a range of reactions from various stakeholders. While many have praised the government for this initiative, others argue that it is merely a drop in the ocean.
In a meeting with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, expressed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to including retired civil servants in the National Social Register of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) scheme.
During the meeting, Minister Edu emphasized that the President had allocated N25,000 for 15 million households for three months as part of the expansion of the national social safety net. She appealed to the NLC to collaborate in expediting the process of gathering relevant data to ensure the swift implementation of this program.
President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, commended the ministry for its efforts to alleviate poverty and expressed his support for addressing the root causes of poverty. He suggested that the government should consider additional social welfare interventions and job creation initiatives to support families.
President of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Godwin Abumisi, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and Minister Edu for recognizing and providing for retired civil servants in the federal government’s programs. He highlighted the low monthly payments received by pensioners, ranging from N5,000 to N10,000, and praised the government for the significant increase to N25,000. Mr. Abumisi also urged Minister Edu to continue her exceptional performance in addressing the needs of pensioners.
Notwithstanding the positive sentiments expressed by some stakeholders, others, like the president of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr. Pogu Bitrus, believe that the N25,000 grant is insufficient given the current economic realities in Nigeria. Dr. Bitrus argued that the removal of fuel subsidies without proper consultation or consideration of alternative measures contributed to the current economic challenges. He stressed the urgent need to fix the country’s refineries and revisit the fuel subsidy removal to improve people’s welfare.
Associate Professor of Medical Imaging at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Dr. Ugwu Anthony, commended the government’s intervention but expressed doubt that it would effectively mitigate the current situation. Dr. Anthony also shared concerns about potential misappropriation of funds and emphasized the need for comprehensive solutions to address the prevailing economic challenges.
However, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, President of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, applauded the government’s move, acknowledging the exceptional circumstances and inflationary pressures being faced. He recognized the government’s attempt to support pensioners but stressed that it should not be viewed as a permanent solution.
Maxi Okwu, former national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, cautioned that the N25,000 monthly grant would not address the underlying issues and would add to the country’s inflation. He urged the government to focus on long-term solutions and the revitalization of the economy.
Former member of the Katsina State House of Assembly, Yusuf Shehu, questioned the effectiveness of these programs and expressed concerns about their limited reach. Mr. Shehu called on the government to take urgent action to address the widespread hunger affecting the majority of Nigerians and find lasting solutions to the subsidy removal issue.
Niger Delta activist, Seigha Manager, labeled the program as inadequate and raised concerns about the exclusion of other vulnerable groups in the society. While acknowledging the challenges faced by pensioners and serving workers, he criticized the government for not considering the wider population and emphasized that the N25,000 grant would not significantly impact the prevailing high rate of inflation.
On the other hand, the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) welcomed the government’s intervention. The union’s Public Relations Officer, Bunmi Ogunkola, expressed gratitude to the President and Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, noting that the grant would significantly relieve the economic burden on pensioners. Mr. Ogunkola disagreed with those who criticized the timing of the initiative, asserting that those who were not pensioners could not truly understand the plight of pensioners.
While stakeholders hold diverse opinions on the N25,000 grant for vulnerable pensioners, the focus remains primarily on the viability of this initiative in addressing the challenges faced by pensioners and the wider population. It is hoped that the government will evaluate and extend the duration of this program beyond the initially proposed three months.
