The Federal Government has started to pay retired military personnel their pensions and other benefits, including three months’ worth of arrears.
The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, made this known in a statement on Thursday in Abuja issued by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Ministry of Defence, Henshaw Ogubike.
PUNCH Online reports that retired military personnel halted activities at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja on Thursday to protest their unpaid entitlements.
The retirees expressed frustration over the Federal Government’s failure to pay the promised 20% to 28% salary increment from January to November 2024.
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Their demands included overdue payments for palliatives from October 2023 to November 2024, an additional N32,000 added to their pensions, bulk payment of the Security Debarment Allowance, and the refund of pension deductions made from the salaries of medically boarded soldiers.
However, Matawalle said that the government has begun payment of military salary increases, and the military personnel have already started receiving alerts for the payment.
“President Bola Tinubu released funds for the payment of pensions and other entitlements owed to retired military personnel on Thursday,” the statement said.
The minister said that the initiative reflected the president’s dedication to enhancing the living standards of those who have served the nation.
Mayawalle also acknowledged the efforts and support of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, who was very committed to actualising the payments.
He urged the Nigerian military to remain steadfast in their duties while reassuring them that the President was fully committed to boosting their morale and providing the necessary support to combat insecurity in Nigeria.
“In spite of initial setbacks, be rest assured that Mr President will do everything within his power to uplift our military forces as they confront the challenges of insecurity,” he said.
He expressed gratitude to the President for his decisive action and reiterated the vital role played by both retired and serving military personnel in ensuring the nation’s security and their significant contributions in combating insurgency.
He assured the Nigerian Armed Forces officers and personnel of the president’s unwavering resolve to eradicate insecurity in Nigeria, bolstered by the readiness and resilience of the military.
