NUT appeals to FG to ensure prompt payment of retirees’ gratuities NUT appeals to FG to ensure prompt payment of retirees’ gratuities

The Nigeria Union of Teachers has appealed to government at all levels to ensure prompt payment of retirees’ gratuities and other benefits to motivate them to work hard while in service.
Dr Mike Ike-Ene, the Secretary-General of the union made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja.
Ike-Ene observed that due to some rigorous processes government subjected retirees to, many of them spent over a year before being paid their gratuities and pensions.
He said: “Government should learn to pay retirees their gratuities and pensions on time.
“Often times, you find government requesting retirees to bring one form of document of the other and to follow rigorous processes after which they still don’t get paid.
“This makes them loose confidence in government. There are some that retired over a year ago who have not started receiving their pensions.”
He also said that government at all levels should make workers’ welfare a priority including their working environment.
He decried a situation where workers had no tools to work with in their offices, adding that in some cases, the physical environment of some work places were not conducive.
Ike-Ene said: “When welfare is talked about, people will begin to look at the take home pay of the worker; that is not the only welfare.
“You will find out that the N66, 500 proposed minimum wage will not be meaningful if the enabling things are not put right such as reducing inflation rate.”
The secretary-general further said that government should endeavour to motivate workers.
He said: “Motivation is not always about money; writing a letter in appreciation for a work well done, shaking somebody’s hand to say thank you are some forms of motivation.”