ON DAY 2 OF WORK AS FINANCE MINISTER, PROTESTERS BLOCK ZAINAB AHMED FROM ENTERING HER OFFICE
ON DAY
2 OF WORK AS FINANCE MINISTER, PROTESTERS BLOCK ZAINAB AHMED FROM ENTERING HER
OFFICE
Addressing the protesters, Ahmed asked
for time to enable her get appropriate briefing on the issue, and also requested
a proper meeting with the leadership of the group so as to agree on a payment
schedule that will be mutually convenient.
Members
of the Nigeria Airways branch of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners on Tuesday
prevented the Acting Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, from gaining entry into
her office during a peaceful protest to demand the non-payment of their 14
years' pension arears.
The
Minister was forced to alight from her official vehicle when they refused to
vacate the gate, to appeal to the protesting senior citizens.
During
the protest, the pensioners displayed placards and took over the main gate of
the ministry, obstructing human and vehicular movement, particularly the staff
who were resuming for duty.
Addressing
the protesters, Ahmed asked for time to enable her get appropriate briefing on
the issue, and also requested a proper meeting with the leadership of the group
so as to agree on a payment schedule that will be mutually convenient.
She
stated that the 14-year arears of payment would have accumulated into a huge
sum, and might not be easy to liquidate in one payment, hence a mutually agreed
mode would be necessary.
The
protesters therefore presented a copy of their protest letter to the Minister
and vacated the gate to allow her access into the premises.
They
demanded the payment of their areas totalling N45.3 billion, which they said
had been approved by President Muhammadu Buhari since 2017.
The
protesters also asked the Minister to maintain open and continuous contact with
the leadership of the union for development and information regarding their
pension.
