The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC ) has asked the National Assembly to consider a bill that will prohibit and criminalize the owing of pensioners in Nigeria.

This was part of discussions during a familiarization visit to the headquarters of the National Union of Pensioners (NUP) in Abuja by leaders of the labour centre on Thursday.  NLC national president Comrade Joseph Ajaero, who led other members of the national executive on the visit, stressed that pensioners who have given their best in the service of this nation must be valued. He said, “We should criminalize the issue of owing pension, there should be a bill in the national assembly that should criminalize it. If people work for thirty-five years and retire and you owe them, we expect them to die and it should be a criminal offense.

“Some pensioners are earning five thousand naira and human beings go ahead and owe them when even the security vote in every state can take care of the pension. People who have given their best in the service of this nation must be valued. It is important we get old men benefits, pensions, and even medical care for the aged. So many countries are doing it so we can do it. You are paying people 30, 000 naira, how can they even save for old age. If we don’t address this, people will make provisions for their old age and if they make provision for their old age, this country is gone”. On his part, the national president of NUP, Comrade Godwin Ikechukwu Abumisi, pledged to work with Congress to achieve common goals for Nigerian workers.