There are indications that the Nigerian Ports Authority Concerned Pensioners may picket the Marina headquarters of the NPA on Friday 10th, March 2017 over the alleged refusal of management to review payments and benefits of the pensioners.
At a press conference held in Lagos yesterday, spokesperson of the group, Pastor Charles Benitie alleged that for 15 years, NPA has failed to review the entitlements of the aged workers in line with directives of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.
He said the body has given series of ultimatums in the past to enable NPA pay the retirees, but these ultimatums were not heeded. He however said that the final ultimatum issued to NPA on Monday, March 6th 2017 expired on Wednesday and that the body is ready to take action.
Pastor Benitie said that the group has the mandate of 90 per cent of the totality of NPA pensioners and vowed that come Friday, all the pensioners would together and that actions would be taken against NPA, some of which might not be pleasant to the nations ports and the economy at large.
He explained that in accordance with Section 173 (3) of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999, which states that pensions shall be reviewed every five years or together with any Federal Civil Service Salary Reviews, whichever is earlier, NPA had in January 1st 1998 reviewed salaries of it workers, but it failed to review pensioners benefits.
The retirees group wondered why NPA has refused to obey the directive of the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission in a letter dated 19th August 2015 written to NPA management after the group petitioned the commission.
"We gave them a 14-day ultimatum from 21st November 2016 but no action from NPA management. We followed up by another 7-day ultimatum from 7th December 2016, still no action, by now giving them final 3-day ultimatum beginning from Monday March 6, 2017, we have crossed the Rubicon and there is no going back on the action"
"Our demands are constitutional and derive from section 173(3), the NPA should do the needful to avoid any unpleasant experience in Nigeria's maritime industry and by extension the nation’s economy which is already going through recession"
Benitie also revealed that the group had made representations to the Minister of Transportation on February 1st 2016 who subsequently set up a tripartite committee meeting of NPA, Concerned Pensioneers, NPA management and transport ministry representatives.
He however alleged that NPA had continually frustrated these meetings, especially with the usual absence of its Executive Management, Finance and Administration, he said the meeting could not hold.
Also, a press release issued to press men at the briefing signed by Chairman of the group, Olukoya JK and E.T Otomewo Secretary, their contemporaries in the CBN and NNPC are well taken care of.
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