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COVID-19: Federal retirees task government over 13 months pension arrears
BY: Sandra Ani
Some pensioners of the Federal Government of Nigeria are expressing fears and disappointment that the Federal Government may have abandoned them in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This platform gathered that some of the retirees have not received their severance packages about thirteen months after leaving the service while others were last paid in December 2019.
There is no reason for this delay, not even the so-called excuse of treating cases of employees who joined the service before the year 2004.
The pensioners are now appealing to the Federal Government to pay their arrears, saying their pensions are for them to live and not for burial.
A pensioner who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, said that he and the colleagues are wondering why the Federal Government would choose to abandon them at such auspicious time when Coronavirus is rampaging.
He cited Italy as a country that has demonstrated commitment to the well-being of the elderly statesmen even at a time the healthcare workers appear overwhelmed by the increasing number of COVID-19 patients.
“God forbid that Nigeria experiences the situation Italians have found themselves. Our prayers are with them (the Italians). Same time, we are asking why the Federal Government stopped paying pensioners and other retirees their pension arrears or retirement benefits.
“We have it on a good account from some PenCom officials that after the 2019 elections, till December, 2019, the Federal Government has not been releasing funds for payment to pensioners. That is a very bad way to treat elder statesmen and women who have served this nation.
“We need to be alive to enjoy the fruits of our labour. Our members are dying due to hunger and inability to pay for medicare.
“In the mid-March, Italy was the hardest-hit nation outside of Asia and had become the new epicenter for the global pandemic. Even in that situation, Italy hasn’t abandoned elderly patients to die”, the source said.
The pensioners also used the opportunity to appreciate health officers in Nigeria for rising up to the occasion over the coronavirus and encouraged Nigerians to abide by the precautionary measures to stay safe.
President Bola Tinubu has signed into law the bill seeking to reintroduce the old national anthem. Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced this at the joint sitting of the senate and house of representatives on Wednesday, May 29.
Akpabio said the president signed the bill into law on Wednesday morning.
The bill received accelerated hearing in both chambers of the National Assembly.
Lillian Jean Williams, a British expatriate who lived in Nigeria during its independence, penned the lyrics for “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” while Frances Berda composed the music.
The anthem was however dropped in 1978 during Obasanjo’s military administration.
See the lyrics of the anthem below
Nigeria, we hail thee,
Our own dear native land,
Though tribe and tongue may differ,
In brotherhood, we stand,
Nigerians all, and proud to serve
Our sovereign Motherland.
Our flag shall be a symbol
That truth and justice reign,
In peace or battle honour’d,
And this we count as gain,
To hand on to our children
A banner without stain.
O God of all creation,
Grant this our one request,
Help us to build a nation
Where no man is oppressed,
And so with peace and plenty
Nigeria may be blessed.
We supposed the new generation has to go and start learning the old national anthem now.
Ben Affleck believes he was “temporarily insane” when he married Jennifer Lopez and the star actor is reportedly pushing for a divorce after “coming to his senses”.
The pair tied the knot in August 2022, rekindling their romance 20 years after they called off their first engagement.
Less than 2 years later, Ben has allegedly labelled their relationship a “fever dream”.
Page Six reports the actor is keen to end their marriage, claiming the decision to wed was due to “temporary insanity”.
A source told the publication: “If there was a way to divorce on grounds of temporary insanity, he would.”
They added: “He feels like the last two years was just a fever dream, and he’s come to his senses now and understands there is just no way this is going to work.”
People also reported Ben and Jennifer have “very different approaches to fame” leading to clashes.
Although they recently attended Ben’s child Finn’s school production together, the couple are reportedly living separately despite buying a £47million ($60million) mansion together last year.
Divorce rumours were further fuelled when fans noticed that J.Lo liked an Instagram post about “broken relationships”.
A 30-year-old teacher at Landmark School Mgbakwu in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Faith Nwonye has been arrested for allegedly beating an 8-year-old pupil into a coma.
The state commissioner for Education, Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, who disclosed this while briefing journalists in her office on Monday, May 20, 2024, said that the school has been permanently shut down.
Chuma-Udeh said she had summoned the school’s proprietor and Nwonye to explain the incident that led to the brutal beating of the primary pupil.
“We received this unfortunate incident from an illegal school in Mgbakwu that a child was beaten to a coma over the weekend. On behalf of the State Government, we invited the proprietress of the illegal school as well as the teacher who purportedly beat the child,” she said.
“We’ve handed the matter to the police for further investigations, as we await Mr Governor’s directives. Meanwhile, the school is closed down indefinitely because it’s not supposed to exist in the first instance. Any parent who is enrolling his/her child in an illegal school is doing so at his/her own peril.
“To the proprietors of private schools, anyone running an unapproved school in Anambra is a criminal. It’s a criminal offence to run an illegal school in the state.
“Whether the school is legal or not, it’s criminal to beat a child. According to the doctor, the chances of survival of the child is 20%.”
The commissioner added that the teacher would be brought to book.
“As soon as the police are done, the teacher will face other institutions against child rights. She’s going to have the full wrath of the law brought upon her over her actions,” she said.
“Anambra state abhors violence to children, women, and any other person. It’s not part of this administration and Mr. Governor is against such.”
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