Perennial neglect of those who have immensely contributed to Nigerian economic well-being by successive governments in the county has led the Joint Action Committee of Pensioners of the University Teachings/Specialist Hospitals and the Federal Medical Centres (JACP) to cry out for help. The body has called on President Olusegun Obasanjo to graciously intervene in retrieving their over N1.5 billion pension arrears allegedly trapped in Niger Insurance Plc, the underwriter, since 2003, saying their members are dying.

In a chat with this writer, Friday, February 09, 2007, the acting chairman of JACP, Mr. L.B. Akinbola, who is also the chairman of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) branch, said this call has become imperative as all efforts to get their pension paid have yielded no fruits.

“We call on the president to intervene because we’ve done every thing possible to get our pension arrears and other entitlements paid but to no avail,” Akinbola said.

In a press statement signed by Mr. Akinbola and Comrade Raymond Egwuogu, JACP LUTH branch chairman and secretary respectively, stated that the body has extended its 30 days ultimatum issued to the Federal Ministry of Health to provide the ministry enough time to address the problems. They warned that the pensioners’ body should not be blamed for any action taken by their members to press home their demands from February 15, 2007.

The body in the statement demanded, among others, that an audit verification exercise be carried out in parastatals and institutions under the Federal Ministry of Health as has been done in some other ministries, with their pensions and entitlement paid.


The retirees alleged that the arrears of pension due their members range from 8-30 months, adding that gratuities from March 2002 to date, as well as increase on percentages of pension rates from 1988-2001 are yet to be paid.

Mr. O. A. O. Agbola,mni, Director Personeel Management, Federal Ministry of Health, in a letter to the Association of LUTH Pensioners, in response to the association’s ultimatum, made available to this writer and dated December 12, 2006, with reference number SMH. 494/S.9/C.5/Vol.11/20, noted with concern the inadequate funding of the pension and gratuity scheme. He also stated that the Honorable Minister of Health had directed that “intensive interactive sessions be held with the Niger Insurance with a view to ensuring effective discharge of the company’s obligations” under an existing memorandum of understanding, and the release the sum of N20 million by the second week of December 2006, been the commitment obtained from the underwriter for partial settlement of the outstanding claims.

Meanwhile, members of the Associations of LUTH Pensioners Wednesday 07, 2007 in Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, protested the non-payment of their pension arrears and other entitlement, carrying placards with various inscriptions urging the authorities concerned to come to their immediate rescue.

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