PENSIONERS IN NIGERIA: OUR DISRESPECTED FORGOTTEN FATHERS AND MOTHERS
Pondering on the pains pensioners go through in Nigeria makes me ask if the government is truly for the people or meant to inflict pains or cause havoc on the people.
The Nigerian government seems not to realize that if the people do not vote during elections, nobody would be in power thereby making the country a lawless and powerless nation except the emergence of the military, thereby falling back to the military rule or regime. This, everyone detests!
Nigeria, presently claiming to be practicing a democratic system of government has failed to acknowledge that power is used to LEAD and not to RULE. Power is meant to DIRECT and ORDER when necessary and not to SANCTION and OPPRESS people unnecessarily.
Gone are the days when a military president would wake up in the morning and declare that no one must be seen on the streets within some hours.
Gone are the days when a military president would wake up one morning and ban importation of goods into the country without providing for his people. And so on and so forth. But that is invariably all we see in TODAY's Nigeria.
Enough of the military days and inhumane orders.
Now, this is DEMOCRACY. A government for the people and by the people under the rule of its people.
The spirit of democracy entails the belief in political freedom and equality.
WHY STRESS THE OLD?
Pension is an annuity paid regularly as benefit, due, to a retired employee in consideration of past services originally and chiefly by a government but also by various private pension schemes.
Many old or aged persons depend on their pension to pay their bills. These people are called pensioners.
How far has the Nigerian Government recognized its pensioners? Why are pensioners of various states always on our TV screens on the news protesting for lack of payment of their pension???
The earlier we realize that we are practicing a democratic system of government, the better for everyone.
Nigeria has been notorious for owing its civil servants ranging from the Federal government to the State governments which are even worse than the Federal government in this regard.
Our frail fathers and mothers are getting ill and dying like chickens because of unavailability of funds to take care of themselves. As a retired government worker or serviceman, the first question you will be asked whenever you demand for financial help would be, "don't you receive your pension?"
MY HEART BLEEDS
These days, it is heartbreaking to see and hear that even in some states pensioners are told to forfeit 40% of their pension for the State and agree to be paid 60%.
Most times, these Governors clinch power to the extent that even the judiciary cannot salvage the whole situation. I still wonder if "checks and balances" still work in Nigeria but are all contained in our Government text books.
How many past Governors or past Presidents in Nigeria have ever officially complained of not receiving his pension or gratuity as at when due?
Heaving a sigh of relief, I only see and notice that the wrongdoings in Nigeria are now like our national anthem which everyone knows.
Mr. President, Mr. Governor, please pay pensioners their monies. Our aged parents should be at their various homes resting after tirelessly serving the nation in different capacities.
We all are serving the same Supreme Being, God, regardless of what different religious groups call Him.
Human sympathy must never be forgotten in leading people.
I would have ended by saying "God bless Nigeria" but God has already blessed Nigeria. Now I will end this with "God help Nigeria" because we need God's help in this our great nation, Nigeria.
GOD HELP NIGERIA..
*Narius Chukwuma Dike Esq.*
Another good one...
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