By Victor Ahiuma-Young
The President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria ASCSN, Shehu Mohammed, has described retirement under the current pension arrangement as “an exit into hell,” blaming persistent delays, long queues and the failure of the contributory pension scheme to deliver on its promise.
Speaking on the plight of Lagos pensioners, Mohammed said the scheme, introduced to ease access to terminal benefits, has instead left many retirees and their families stranded.
He noted that some states are yet to migrate fully from the old Defined Benefit Scheme, while the valuation of past service benefits continues to cause prolonged suffering.
The ASCSN President welcomed the Federal Government’s recent move to restore the payment of terminal gratuities but insisted that state governments must follow suit if workers are to enjoy a dignified exit from service.
