Workers won’t tolerate fraud in contributory pension scheme, Kaigama warns

ORGANISED labour has warned that inspite of checks against abuses and unethical practices especially corruption in the new Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, it will not hesistate to declare a national strike should there be any proven case of fraud in CPS.
Speaking through the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, at its National Executive Council, NEC, in Abeokuta, Ogun State, the ASCSN threatened to shut down the economy should there be any case of corruption or fraud in the new pension scheme.
President of the association, Bobboi Kaigama who gave the warning while addressing members of NEC, decried federal government’s inability to prosecute those who looted pensions fund in the old scheme, noting that this could encourage fradulent individuals to also abuse the new pension scheme.
According to him, “Nigerian workers will no longer tolerate a scenario where any individual, corporate outfit or even government will dip its hands into the contributory pension fund under the guise of borrowing. We will not hesitate to shut down the entire space if this happens. It is indeed worrisome that persons who devoted their productive years to serve the country in the public service will not be paid their gratuities and pension while pension managers are feeding fat on the Fund.”

Pix: A Protest by Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Lagos state, on non payment of Pensioners arrears and gratuities by Lagos state 
Government, at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja.

“This is unfortunate. I wish to appeal to the federal and state governments to ensure that pensioners are paid their entitlements on retirement and their monthly stipends as and when due. Failure to do so will continue to lend credence to the belief that Nigerians are incapable of managing simple processes. Besides, efforts should be made by authorities to sanction those who loot pension fund to act as deterrent to others.”
Similarly, Kaigama frowned at what he described as irregular appointments in the civil service arguing that recruitment into the service was no longer based on merit.
He lamented that all manner of individuals were being recruited by politicians and dumped into the civil service at ridiculous grade levels without recourse to qualification and experience, recalling that in recent years, new entrants were being placed directly above officers with higher qualification and experience thereby eroding the culture in the civil service.
He said “In recent times, the cherished culture in the civil service is being eroded as new entrants with HND and Bsc are being placed directly on Grade levels 09 or 10 instead of Grade levl 08 while holders of second degree (MSc) are placed on Grade levels 10 or 12 instead of Grade level 09 as it used to be. This has led to a situation where officers that have served for more than five to 10 years with higher qualifications, experience and skills are being made to report to their juniors which is very unfair and capable of demoralizing such personnel.”
Kaigama called on the federal civil service commission and civil service commissions in the states to put a stop to the ill-advised policy and save the civil service from further deterioration stressing that the motive for recruitment should be for service delivery.
- Vanguard

loading...