A COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE

INTERACTIVE FORUM OF THE NIGERIA UNION OF

PENSIONERS CONTRIBUTORY PENSION SCHEME
SECTOR (NUPCPS) HELD AT THE OSGF CONFERENCE
HALL, PHASE 1 FEDERAL SECRETARIAT ABUJA ON
THURSDAY 17TH AUGUST, 2023

PREAMBLE:
The brain storming tripartite meeting recorded attendance as
follows: From the Government side; Office of Head of the Civil
Service of the Federation, Office of Accountant General of the
Federation, National Pension Commission (PenCom-the Apex
Supervisory organ of the Nigerian Pension Industry; From the
Pension Managers/Operators, Custodian Assurance Limited;
From the Union side; National President Nigeria Union of
Pensioners (NUP), NUPCPS National Executives, Representatives
from the six geopolitical zones and members from the North-
central geopolitical zone and the FCT Abuja, Workers Union
Leaders, and Pension Desk officers from the MDAs, as well as
Active workers with less than 3 years to retire from Service.

RESOLUTIONS:
1. A special appreciation conveyed by the whole house to the
National executive of the Union under the able leadership of the
National Chairman Comrade Sylva. C. Nwaiwu, who championed
the large turnout recorded at the Interactive Forum.
2. A profound recognition and commendation accorded to the
National Pension Commission (PenCom), the Pension managers/
operators, for their roles in consistently driving the Contributory
Pension Scheme (CPS) over the years and putting in their best
to ensure its success and progress.
3. Appreciation conveyed to the Federal Government for concern
and a commitment shown for the payment of outstanding
pension increments to retirees of this Sector during the
immediate past regime of President Muhammad Buhari, GCFR,
to the effect that a Committee was set up at the Debt
Management Office (DMO) that worked out the amount in
government bonds required for the payments.
4. Federal Government's attitude in reneging on the provisions
of the Contributory Pension Scheme in defiance of agreements
reached with Nigerian workers before the commencement of the
Scheme in 2004, unanimously condemned, especially in the
following areas;
i. Non-payment of pension increments of 15% of 2007, 33%
of 2010, and the consequential adjustment arising from the
recent national minimum wage implemented in 2019 to
retiress of this Sector, which their counterparts under the
Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) had
since enjoyed.
ii. Exemption of some class of workers who were part of the
CPS agreement in 2004 from the Scheme, and reverting
them to the old Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS).
iii. Undue delay of monthly remittance of accrued rights
resulting to many months of backlogs and leading to
retirees not receiving their retirement benefits as and at
when due.
iv. Non-implementation of minimum pension base in both the
Federal and state public service.

5. An appeal made to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed

Tinubu, GCFR, to kindly adopt and integrate into his economic
policy measures, the recommendations and steps already taken
by his predecessor, Ex-President Muhammad Buhari, GCFR
toward the payments of outstanding pension increments to
retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme.

6. In particular, the Office of Secretary to the Government of the

Federation, Office of Head of Civil Service of the Federation,
Office of Accountant General of the Federation; Office of Director
General Debt Management Office among others, are called upon
to kindly use their respected Offices in ensuring immediate
action on the prescribed government bonds before the Debt
Management Office (DMO) for the payments of outstanding
pension increments to retirees of this Sector, on or before
September, 2023 to avert a looming Nationwide protest by the
concerned retirees.

7. That; it has become very imperative for all State Governments

in the Contributory Pension Scheme to review their State Pension
Act to be more retirees friendly and to reflect the intended
objects of the Scheme.

8. As a matter of urgent public interest, the two different

Committees at the National Assembly; House Committee on
Pensions, and Senate Committee on Establishment and Public
Service, are called upon to make payments of future pension
increments/entitlements simultaneous without any
discrimination to both retirees under PTAD and PENCOM.

9. That; as already demanded by the NUP and the NLC in both

their submissions on the Review of the Pension Reform Act (PRA)
2014, the legal deduction of 1% union check off dues should be
included in the 2024 amendment of the Pension Reform Act
(PRA) by the National Assembly Committee on Review of the
Pension Reform Act (PRA) 2014.

10. That; failure of the Government to take a positive step in

addressing the current difficulties and challenges in the CPS, as
well as the discriminatory exemption of some group of workers
from the CPS to the DBS, will result in other categories of
workers in both the Civil and Public Service to also seek
exemption from the Scheme.

1. Comrade Alh. S O Agunbiade Chairman

2. Comrade Alh. Musa Bayero Member

3. Comrade Oji U Ndukwe Member

4. Comrade S. O. Udoh Member

5. Comrade Chief J O Oyadiran Member

6. Comrade Alh. Isiaka Busari Member

7. Comrade Michael Omisande Member

8. Comrade Mrs. Joy Izor A. Member

9. Comrade Oyadere Gbenga Secretary