Civil Servants Call For Pension Law Amendment
The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has urged the National Assembly to amend the existing pension law to ensure better retirement packages for civil servants.
Speaking at a news conference in Lagos on Wednesday, ASCSN National President Shehu Muhammed highlighted long-standing issues with the pension system, emphasizing that repeated attempts to resolve them have been unsuccessful.
Muhammed criticized some employers for failing to remit their contributions to the National Pension Commission, leaving employees unable to access their terminal benefits.
“There is no difference between the old and new systems. We are back to square one, where retirees spend years without accessing their benefits. Sadly, some retirees have died without receiving their entitlements,” Muhammed said.
He called on the National Assembly to address these challenges, suggesting amendments to the contributory pension scheme to allow retirees immediate access to their funds after exiting the service.
“The contributory pension scheme is no longer beneficial to Nigerian workers. We will engage the National Assembly with proposals for amending the law to make it more effective and worker-friendly,” he added.
On unemployment, Muhammed urged the government to implement policies that create job opportunities and support small businesses for retiring civil servants. He expressed concern over the rising number of unemployed graduates, linking high unemployment rates to increased insecurity.
“Government must allocate sufficient resources to address unemployment and provide opportunities for citizens,” he concluded.
