The Ex-Service Men and Family Welfare Association of Nigeria has urgently appealed to the federal government for the payment of all outstanding pension arrears and entitlements.
This heartfelt plea was voiced by the association’s President, Anthony Agbas, during a peaceful rally held by the ex-servicemen at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja on the 4th of December, 2024.
Agbas lamented the financial struggles and hardships endured by military pensioners over the years, highlighting that despite assurances that funds had been approved long ago, no payments had been made.
“We were told the money has been approved for a long time, but we have not received anything,” he stated, echoing the frustration felt by the pensioners.
The association’s demands include the immediate disbursement of palliative payments and their arrears from October 2023 to November 2024, the payment of a 20 to 28 percent salary increment and its arrears from January to November, as well as the settlement of the N32,000 flat rate and its arrears from July to November.
Additionally, they are calling for the implementation of the new National Minimum Wage increment and its corresponding arrears for the same period.
Agbas emphasized that the association serves as a collective voice for numerous retired members of the Nigerian Armed Forces and their families.
In response to the protesters’ concerns, a Ministry of Finance official assured them that their requests had been approved and were currently being processed.