Tension broke out at the Lagos State Government Secretariat in Alausa, Ikeja, on Monday after police reportedly used tear gas to disperse pensioners protesting over unpaid pension increases, wage awards and other outstanding benefits.
The protesters, drawn from the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) and retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), had gathered at Lagos House to demand action from the Lagos State Government.
Pensioners demand payment
The retirees are asking the state government to implement approved pension increases and wage awards and clear arrears they say have remained outstanding.
The protest followed an earlier deadline issued by the pensioners, who had given the government until August 31 to address their grievances. They had warned that they would stage a larger demonstration if their demands were not met.
The pensioners say the delays have created financial difficulties for retirees who depend on their monthly pensions and other retirement benefits.
Police action sparks tension
The demonstration became tense after police officers reportedly fired tear gas at the protesters, forcing some of the retirees to leave the immediate area.
The action drew anger from the pensioners, who questioned why force was used against elderly citizens protesting over what they described as legitimate entitlements.
The incident has also attracted criticism from human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, who called for action against officers involved in the reported use of tear gas.
Government payments disputed
The dispute comes despite previous payments made to Lagos pensioners.
The Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC) has previously said that the state government had paid about ₦168 billion to approximately 48,000 pensioners. However, the protesting retirees maintain that significant outstanding obligations remain unresolved.
The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has also been involved in efforts to address concerns surrounding delayed pension increases and wage awards for Lagos retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme.
Pensioners vow to continue pressure
The retirees have insisted that they want the Lagos State Government to resolve the outstanding issues through dialogue and payment of the benefits they say are due to them.
The Monday incident has now added a new dimension to the long-running disagreement, with attention turning to how the state government will respond to the pensioners’ demands and the controversy surrounding the police action.
Monafrika will continue to monitor developments as the Lagos State Government, the police and pensioners’ representatives respond to the incident.
0 COMMENTS
Leave a Reply