NSITF Pensioners Ask Court to Restore Unpaid Pension Arrears.

Nigerian Union of Pensioners have asked the National Industrial Court in Abuja to compel the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) to pay the arrears of pension increments owed them.

The pensioners want to get an order from the court to mandate NSITF Trust Fund Management and National Pension Commission (PenCom) to review the pension due and payable to them in compliance with Section 173(3) of the Constitution as applicable to Federal Government increase in salaries in July 2010 and 2013 respectively.

In a suit filed by their counsel, Sylvester Imhanobe Esq, the pensioners alleged that NSITF Trust Fund Management and National Pension Commission were in breach of the provisions of Section 173(3) of the Constitution by refusing to pay them the arrears of their pensions.

It was disclosed that in July 2010 when the Federal Government increased salaries by 53.37%, the management of NSITF implemented the increase for staff but increased pension for pensioners by only 33% which is 20.37% lower than what was given to staff. The pensioners also stated that in August 2013, NSITF increased salaries of staff ranging from 20% to 40% for various categories of staff and management staff, but failed to do the same for pension to pensioners.