₦70,000 transport allowance: Federal pensioners decry exclusion, unpaid ₦25,000 palliative

— Beg Tinubu to intervene By Johnbosco Agbakwuru ABUJA — CONTROVERSY over the recent approval of ₦70,000 for Federal Government workers has continued unabated, as the Federal Parastatals and Private Sector Pensioners Association of Nigeria (FEPPPAN) has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to extend the newly approved ₦70,000 monthly transport allowance for public servants to pensioners. The retired government workers lamented that retirees were being left behind in government efforts to cushion the effects of rising living costs. FEPPPAN said pensioners also pay transportation fares to hospitals for medical care, markets to purchase essential commodities, and other destinations for economic activities they undertake to supplement their pensions and sustain their livelihoods.

In a statement jointly signed by its President-General, Elder Benjamin Maisamari Amako, and General Secretary, Mr Franklin Erinle, the association questioned why retirees should be excluded from transportation support when they equally bear the burden of rising fares and other costs of living. According to the statement: “The association questioned the rationale behind excluding pensioners from transportation support when they equally bear the burden of rising transport fares and other costs of living. “FEPPPAN expressed further disappointment over the continued non-payment of the ₦25,000 monthly subsidy-removal palliative announced by the Federal Government in October 2023, lamenting that eligible pensioners were still awaiting the promised relief even as another support package had been approved for serving workers. ” It called for immediate presidential intervention to address the concerns of pensioners. The statement said: “FEPPPAN expresses concern that eligible pensioners are yet to receive the…