Anambra: Retired directors demand sack of NUP chairman, call for pension review

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By Madu Obi

Retired Directors in Anambra State have demanded the removal of the chairman of the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Dr. Anthony Ugozor over allegations of corruption and abuse of power.

Rising from a meeting in Awka, the retired directors condemned Ugozor's leadership, arguing that his nine-year tenure has not achieved any harmonization of pensions or upward review for the pensioners in the state.

Messrs Fidelis Ezeike and Azuka Okeke​​​​​, President and Secretary, respectively of the pensioners, accused Ugozor of violating the NUP constitution by seeking re-election for another four-year term when he did not perform in the past nine years.

They also criticized Ugozor for appointing his biological son as the Financial Desk Officer of NUP, describing it as a clear case of nepotism and a breach of financial management and accountability principles.

They said: "For the nine years of his leadership, he did not achieve any harmonization of pensions or its upward review."

Having been the chairman of NUP for nine years, it is against the constitution of the NUP for him to come out again to contest for another four-year tenure.

The appointment of his biological son as Financial Desk Officer of NUP is against every principle of financial management and accountability. This underscores the need for immediate audit of the account of NUP.

Having been the chairman of NLC in Anambra State, to continue as the chairman NUP, an affiliate of NLC, is like the President of a country coming out again to be Governor of a state. This is derogatory to the people of Anambra State.

As it is the constitutional responsibility of the national administrative committee of NUP, Abuja to discipline chapters that violate the Constitution, we therefore call for the immediate dissolution of the NUP Anambra State chapter and appoint an eight-man caretaker committee, comprising the chairman, state secretary, treasurer and five others as contained in the NUP Constitution.

They expressed concern that pensions have not been reviewed upwards since 2003, which, they noted, is against the law of the land.

They called on the state government to address the issue and provide parity of treatment in the recent minimum wage review in Anambra State.

The retired directors threatened to take peaceful actions to draw the government's attention to their demands if the NUP Anambra State chapter is not dissolved immediately.