Retirees of the defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) and Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in Benin, Edo State, have protested the alleged non-payment of their pensions, gratuities and other entitlements spanning 25 years.
The pensioners, who protested on Friday, called on the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) to release what they described as outstanding benefits allegedly worth more than N350 billion.
Speaking on behalf of the retirees, Alile Osakioduwa alleged that the Federal Government had released funds to PTAD for the payment of the outstanding entitlements but that the pensioners were yet to receive them.
“We have been asking for this payment, which the Federal Government has released. Putting everything together, it’s over N350 billion that they are now owing us,” Osakioduwa said.
He said the outstanding payments included arrears arising from harmonisation, monetisation and electricity rebates, as well as gratuity shortfalls for workers who retired as far back as 2000.
According to him, some retirees were allegedly still owed at least 45 per cent of their gratuities.
Osakioduwa also alleged that the retirees had not benefited from recent pension increases approved by the Federal Government, including increments introduced under President Bola Tinubu.
He said the prolonged delay had left many elderly retirees struggling to afford medical treatment and meet their basic needs.
“We are requesting PTAD to do the needful. The majority of our pensioners are dying. Many are even sick,” he said.
Another retiree, Solomon Ifijeh, alleged that PTAD received the funds in May 2026 following intervention by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
According to Ifijeh, the pensioners were initially told that payment would be made in June before being given July as a new deadline.
“This money has been given to PTAD. In actual fact, this money was collected by PTAD in May this year. It was given to them by the Federal Government, facilitated by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume in May.
“They promised to pay us in July. First of all, they said June. Two weeks later, they said July. July has passed, and there is no sign that they want to pay us,” he said.
Ifijeh appealed to President Tinubu to intervene and direct PTAD to resolve the grievances of the former electricity workers.
“We are using this medium to call on the government to please come to our rescue because our people are dying due to lack of money to take care of themselves,” he said.
The retirees urged the government to investigate the handling of their outstanding entitlements and ensure that the payments are made without further delay.
They said they had served in the electricity sector when NEPA was responsible for power generation and distribution before its transition to PHCN, and appealed to the authorities to address their long-standing financial claims.
