Military Retirees Shut Down Finance Ministry Over Unpaid Entitlements
Military retirees, on Tuesday, staged a dramatic protest at the Ministry of Finance headquarters in Abuja, blocking the entrance with canopies and chairs to demand the full payment of their long-overdue entitlements.
This demonstration comes after a similar protest in December, during which retirees disrupted operations at the ministry over the government’s failure to settle their claims.
The protesters allege they are owed a salary increment of 20% to 28% covering January to November 2024. Despite receiving official approval for the payments, ministry officials reportedly cited insufficient funds as the reason for the delay.
Fusion Chronicle learned that following the December protests, the federal government disbursed 50% of the owed entitlements. However, the retirees insist on receiving the outstanding balance.
Read also: Retired Soldiers Protest At Ministry Of Finance Gates Abuja
They are also demanding payments for other benefits, including:
– Palliatives for October 2023 to November 2024,
– An additional N32,000 added to their pensions,
– Bulk payment of the Security Debarment Allowance, and
– Refunds of pension deductions from the salaries of medically boarded soldiers.
At the protest scene, the retirees erected canopies and blocked the ministry’s gates, forcing staff to park their vehicles outside. “We won’t leave until all our demands are met,” one of the protesters declared.
