Nigeria Correctional Service retirees in the Ondo State have appealed to the Federal government to pay their promotional arrears.
The pensioners, in a letter written to the Minister of Education, Rauf Aregbesola, on Wednesday, said since 2013 and 2014, many of them had not gotten their entitlements.
They lamented that they have had “sleepless nights” following the failure of President Muhammadu Buhari-led government to pay their funds.
The letter, entitled, “An open letter to the Honorable Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on the select payment of 2013 and 2014 Promotional Arrears”, was signed by Mr Dauda Balogun, on behalf of the protesting retirees.
The retirees asked the Nigerian government to urgently “save our souls” and prevail on the authorities concerned to pay their arrears.
They alleged that few of them were paid while many others were left out.
The letter read, “It is evident that the Federal Government has good intention by releasing this benefit for the holistic welfare of the Nigeria Correctional Service.
“However, it is disheartening that this gesture was truncated as evident in the implantation.
“A few months ago, one Deputy Comptroller of the Nigeria Correctional Service was sent to the South West correctional formations to plead with us that we should be patient.
“They assured us that those that had not been paid their promotional arrears would be paid soon. It is sad and unfortunate that the promises have yet to be fulfilled.
“It is appalling that we have developed sleepless nights on account of unpaid promotional arrears and this has also dampened our morale. We served faithfully until retirement. We rely on our retirement benefits for survival at old age.”
Babajide Ogundare, the spokesperson for the Ondo State Command of the NCS, claimed that the delay in the payment of arrears was caused by the introduction of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPS) by the Nigerian government.
Mr Ogundare appealed to the pensioners to exercise patience, promising that their entitlements would be fully paid.
