Military retirees in Abuja, under the Coalition of Military Pensioners, shut down the Federal Ministry of Finance on December 5, 2024, protesting unpaid entitlements. Their demands include salary increments, palliatives, and refunds. The protest highlights ongoing frustration with delayed payments and government neglect of military pensioners.
A group of retired military officers, under the Coalition of Military Pensioners, protested at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja on December 5, 2024, to demand the payment of their outstanding entitlements. The retirees, who came from various chapters across the country, expressed frustration over the non-payment of their 20% to 28% salary increment from January to November 2024.
The pensioners, who have been waiting for several months, highlighted several key demands, including the payment of palliatives for the period from October 2023 to November 2024, the addition of N32,000 to their pensions, and the settlement of Security Debarment Allowance (SDA). They also called for the refund of deductions made from the pensions of medically boarded soldiers.
In December 2023, the Senate had announced plans to investigate the operations of the Military Pensions Board, which is responsible for managing military pensions. The Senate Committee on Appropriation had questioned the board’s financial management and called for more transparency in the payment process. During budget deliberations, the committee also requested an additional N20 billion to renovate federal office buildings and address the backlog of pension-related issues.
The protest at the Ministry of Finance serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle of military retirees to secure their rightful benefits, with no clear resolution in sight.
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