Members of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) Pensioners Association on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest in Ibadan, Oyo State, demanding the immediate payment of their outstanding entitlements, including minimum wage arrears and palliative awards.
The protesters, who gathered at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat in Iyaganku, carried placards with inscriptions such as “Radio Nigeria Pensioners: Our Sick Pensioners Need Money, Please, Pay Our N32,000 Arrears,” and “Stop Deduction Of Our Monthly Pension,” expressing frustration over years of neglect and delayed payments.
Leading the protest, the association’s chairman, Mr. Sola Ogunmola, decried the continued exclusion of FRCN pensioners from wage reviews and federal reliefs. He lamented that while pensioners in other ministries have started receiving the approved minimum wage adjustments, FRCN retirees have yet to benefit.
“Almost two years after President Tinubu announced palliative measures for Nigerian workers, including N25,000 for pensioners, no payment has reached those of us under the Defined Benefit Scheme or the Contributory Pension Scheme,” Ogunmola stated.
He further disclosed that the 20% pension increase approved in January 2024 had not been fully disbursed, with many pensioners still owed eight months’ arrears. He also criticised the non-implementation of the N32,000 monthly increment based on the proposed N72,000 minimum wage, scheduled to begin in July 2024.
Addressing issues affecting FRCN pensioners abroad, Ogunmola said many have been unfairly removed from the payroll due to complications with the ‘I Am Alive’ verification system. “PTAD has not provided a workable solution for online verification, especially for our Diaspora members,” he added.
The pensioners appealed to the Federal Government for urgent intervention, noting that many of their members can no longer afford basic needs or medical care.
“We are not asking for special treatment. We are simply demanding what is rightfully ours,” Ogunmola said, calling on relevant authorities to address the long-standing grievances.
