Revealed: Retired senior matron earns N330 pension in Anambra

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By Madu Obi

The Anambra State council of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, NUP, has waded into the pathetic situation of its member, Mrs. Fanny Ngozi Uchefuna, a retired Senior Matron, who receives a paltry N330 as her monthly pension.

Uchefuna retired from the civil service on October 21, 1994, from the State Education Commission, with identity card number AN 866 and has Njikoka Local Government as her pay point.

Her condition reveals what many pensioners have been passing through, particularly those who retired before the pension reform.

For the case of Uchefuna, the union has written Governor Chukwuma Soludo, urging him to review and harmonize pension rates in the state.

"We sadly note that a retiree in Anambra State earns only N330 monthly, less than N500. Pensions haven't been reviewed since 2003, contrary to the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which stipulates harmonization every five years or with salary reviews", the pensioners' letter read.

The letter cites a circular from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, requesting the governor to adopt the new rates.

Recall that retired Directors of the Anambra State Public Service have also consistently been calling for a pension review and harmonization, noting that retirees in the state have not enjoyed any increase since 2003.

While thanking Governor Soludo for the N10,000 awarded to retirees pending the harmonization, they emphasized the need for expedited action.

They reminded government that pensions should be harmonized every five years or whenever salaries are reviewed for serving officers, as stipulated in the 1999 Constitution.

Meanwhile, retired Directors in the state have, in a communiqué signed by their chairman, Hon. Fidelis Ezeike and Secretary, Sir Azuka Okeke, expressed gratitude to Governor Soludo for awarding N10,000 to all state government retirees, pending pension harmonization in line with the 2024 national minimum wage law.

"We also appreciate the governor's directive to harmonize pensions; considering the current harsh economic situation; we urge expedited action.

As pillars of MDAs, we the retired directors are disposed to support the government through consultancy services and other ways to transfer knowledge", they told the governor.