Plateau Tertiary Institutions Rejects Lalong’s New Pension Scheme

The Joint Union of Plateau State Owned Tertiary Institutions has rejected a new pension scheme introduced by the Governor Simon Lalong-led administration in the State.

The Union in a press statement signed by its Chairman, Comrade Paul Dakogol, and made available to journalists in Jos, said it was satisfied with the current National Pension Scheme.

The Union alleged that the Governor’s secretly sent a bill on contributory pension scheme to the State House of Assembly with the knowledge of its beneficiaries.

“The executive bill on the new pension scheme has passed through second reading in the State House of Assembly. We don’t need this bill before the House.

“We have never complained of the existing pension scheme, which is applicable nationwide; we don’t know why the Governor is introducing a new scheme without consulting direct beneficiaries.

“Already, the Union is passing through some difficulties due to the enforcement of some government policies like the Treasury Single Account (TSA), without considering its implications on tertiary institutions.

“Our members will not accept any policy that may end up jeopardizing the present well organized pension scheme being ran in our various institutions where all our retirees are been paid their gratuity as at when due, which our members are satisfied with the system.

“The case of TSA is still fresh in our minds considering the present financial challenges of the Government, we are not convince that government will have the capacity to meet up with it’s part of contribution and faithfully pay past service liabilities of workers at exit”, he further lamented.

Dakogol further decried that the technicalities on the implementation of the contributory pension scheme are quite complex for the understanding of an average Plateau worker.

He further explained that the executive bill has no details on how the final benefits are to be arrived at so that his members can be well informed before commencement.

The Union leader called for the strengthening of the Edict establishing the state institutions that allowed for autonomy of the institutions to run pension and gratuity schemes, following the implementation of the consolidated salary structure which has been working till date.

Among their prayers is a call for the exemption of the entire State owned Tertiary Institutions from the bill and sustain the present defined benefit.

He further called for the strengthening of the present pension and gratuity, through some legislative framework among others.

Source: Dailypost