‘NCC Owes Retirees’ 54-Month Pension Arrears

Two thousand, six hundred and thirty retirees of Nigerian Coal Corporation (NCC), Enugu, are owed 54 months arrears of their pensions, an official of the pensioners’ association said.

Mr Emmanuel Chima, Enugu State Chairman, Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), NCC branch, made the disclosure to newsmen in an interview.

Chima, who spoke at the ongoing verification of pensioners in Enugu explained that, at least, 600 of the pensioners had died in the last five years as a result of the non-payment of their pensions.

“We have suffered untold hardship as a result of long delays in payment of pensions that many of us died due to poverty. It is painful but we look unto God for mercy.

“It is disheartening that coal corporation, which was the premier industry in Nigeria, was abandoned and left to die by government,’’ he said.

Commenting on the ongoing verification of pensioners, Chima said they were facing a lot of challenges, considering that many of them and families of the dead had lost their documents.

“Due to long delays in payment of pensions, many of us have lost our documents, such as letters of appointment and other evidence to show that we were staff of the corporation.

“We are appealing to government to allow those affected to present affidavits as evidence for the verification exercise,’’ Chima said.

He commended the government for carrying out the verification and appealed that they be paid immediately after the verification to enable them to take care of their families.

The chairman also appealed to both the Federal Government and South-East governors to reactivate the coal industry and Nkalagu Cement Industry in Ebonyi.

He explained that the revitalisation of the industries would lead to job creation and generate revenue for the country.

Chima decried the rate at which the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals sold landed and other property of the corporation, describing it as ‘unfortunate’.

Some of the pensioners, who spoke to The Tide, complained that they could not trace their documents because they had lost hope over the payment of the pensions.

Mrs Dorothy Eneh, a widow, said that since her husband died in September, last year, she did not know where the documents to identify him were kept.

A septuagenarian, Chief Godwin Alor, appealed to government to urgently pay the pensions as many of them were lying critically ill at home and at hospitals.

“Is it a sin to serve the country and die without any reward? Pension is our right and we deserve to be paid like others,’’ Alor complained.