The National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) says the Commission’s Circulars are usually issued after wide consultations with major stakeholders including the Federal Government. And that the circulars have provision for anyone to seek for clarification, and no Agency is authorised to unilaterally amend them without its written consent. Usually, where there is cogent reason, a crossed-reference Clarification Circular is issued by the Commission, after due process, for record purposes.
The Chairman of the Commission, Ekpo Nta, Esq. made the clarification when he played host to the Executive Committee of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (All Sectoral Units /Parastatals) Nation-Wide on a courtesy visit led by their Chairman, Sir Samuel Adewale.
In a statement signed by the Head, Press Unit, Emmanuel Njoku, the Chairman further explained that the Commission, being the Secretariat of the Tripartite Committee of the National Minimum Wage, would ensure seamless preparations for the consideration of both a new National Minimum Wage and the accompanying pension review in 2024 as provided by the National Minimum Wage Act 2019 and Section 173(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) respectively.
In response to a pensioners observation that the Constitution provides for a “corresponding increase in pensions” he stated that the word “corresponding” was not used in Sect. 173(3). He further clarified that increases in allowances for serving officers cannot also be interpreted as increases in salaries.
The Chairman of the Commission informed his guests that the Commission had forwarded to the Government sometime in May 2023, its report on the harmonisation of pensions for consideration after synthesising inputs from relevant stakeholders including pension unions, and the availability of funds, and that the Commission was regularly following this up since it would have a bearing in considering pension increases in 2024.
In response to their complaints of non-receipt of the payment of recently approved palliatives, the NSIWC Chairman noted that the relevant organs of government were addressing the issues.
Earlier, one of the delegates who is the Chairman, Committee on Pension NUP-ASU/Parastals, Elder Gabriel A. Oladele had urged the Chairman to intervene on the issues of wrong computations of their consequential adjustments, and also the unreasonable deductions from their pensions after decades of enjoying same.
In his reaction, NSIWC Chairman said the Commission will look into the two issues based on the documents the Union had submitted. READ ALSO:
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In conclusion, the Chairman advised the Union to negotiate with friendly Health Maintenance Organisations to provide affordable health insurance covers for their members after explaining how they can benefit from such services.
He urged the Senior citizens, to in future, avail themselves of having scheduled free online Zoom meetings with him, instead of embarking on expensive and hazardous trips from all over the country given their ages.
