•Calabar, Port Harcourt, others, back Lagos branch
•Lagos branch exco suspended
•Lagos branch exco suspended
The crisis that is rocking the Nigerian Ports Authourity (NPA) pensioners’ body has further torn the association apart as two branches of the pensioners’ welfare association have pitched their tents with the Lagos branch against the national body.
The bone of contention is the modality for ensuring that the management of NPA pays arrears of pensions to its senior citizens, a development which has now polarised the group.
Shipping Position Weekly confirmed in Lagos and Port Harcourt that a nationwide demonstration over the matter was to have come up on December 4, but the national body allegedly foiled it.
A few of the pensioners from the Lagos branch were in at the corporate headquarters of NPA last week to further plead with the organisation’s management to pay the arrears.
A general meeting of the pensioners in Port Harcourt branch was reportedly held about two weeks ago where the decision to declare support for the embattled leadership of the association’s Lagos branch was taken.
The NPA Pensioners’ Welfare Association is the umbrella body for all retirees of NPA. The association currently has eight branches all over the country.
Although, a member of the association explained last week that apart form disagreement over how to get NPA management to pay the arrears, the national president Mr. O. Akie was accused of fraud and embezzlement of association funds.
Mr Akie himself confirmed the allegations against him, but denied any wrong doing. He urged challenged his accuser to go to court if they have evidence, even as he declared that the suspension of the executive council of the Lagos branch was irreversible.
When confronted with the fact that some branches had declared their support for the Lagos branch, he declared: if they have the support, everybody will see it, if they have the support of four branches, I will leave, I will not even be talking to you as the president”.
But when asked for the update on the struggle to get NPA management to pay the arrears, chairman of the Lagos branch, Chief Makanjuola told Shipping Position Weekly that there was no going back.
However our correspondent spoke with the executive director, finance and administration, NPA, Mr Tola Atekoja who accused the pensioners of making unnecessary demands.
According to him, in the last 10 years, none of them was paid the 30 per cent pensions increment, until this management came on board. “We paid them for 2008 and they are asking for arrears and we said no”.
The bone of contention is the modality for ensuring that the management of NPA pays arrears of pensions to its senior citizens, a development which has now polarised the group.
Shipping Position Weekly confirmed in Lagos and Port Harcourt that a nationwide demonstration over the matter was to have come up on December 4, but the national body allegedly foiled it.
A few of the pensioners from the Lagos branch were in at the corporate headquarters of NPA last week to further plead with the organisation’s management to pay the arrears.
A general meeting of the pensioners in Port Harcourt branch was reportedly held about two weeks ago where the decision to declare support for the embattled leadership of the association’s Lagos branch was taken.
The NPA Pensioners’ Welfare Association is the umbrella body for all retirees of NPA. The association currently has eight branches all over the country.
Although, a member of the association explained last week that apart form disagreement over how to get NPA management to pay the arrears, the national president Mr. O. Akie was accused of fraud and embezzlement of association funds.
Mr Akie himself confirmed the allegations against him, but denied any wrong doing. He urged challenged his accuser to go to court if they have evidence, even as he declared that the suspension of the executive council of the Lagos branch was irreversible.
When confronted with the fact that some branches had declared their support for the Lagos branch, he declared: if they have the support, everybody will see it, if they have the support of four branches, I will leave, I will not even be talking to you as the president”.
But when asked for the update on the struggle to get NPA management to pay the arrears, chairman of the Lagos branch, Chief Makanjuola told Shipping Position Weekly that there was no going back.
However our correspondent spoke with the executive director, finance and administration, NPA, Mr Tola Atekoja who accused the pensioners of making unnecessary demands.
According to him, in the last 10 years, none of them was paid the 30 per cent pensions increment, until this management came on board. “We paid them for 2008 and they are asking for arrears and we said no”.
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