*Photo: President Bola Tinubu*
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Pensioners have commended the Federal Government for demonstrating political will through the signing of the landmark agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
According to the pensioners, the resolution of a dispute dating back to 2009 clearly shows that the Government can successfully address long-standing industrial and welfare disputes through sincerity, dialogue, and faithful commitment to agreements.
Encouraged by this milestone in the education sector, the CBN Pensioners have urged the President to direct the Central Bank of Nigeria to adopt similar measures toward resolving the 26-year-old pension dispute involving retired CBN staff.
In a statement signed by Messrs. David Edogiawerie and Samuel Ehigie Isokpunwu, the pensioners explained that the dispute originated in 1997 following the Federal Government’s introduction of the Policy on Harmonisation of Pensions, which was designed to eliminate disparities among employees who retired on the same grade level and with the same length of service but on different date, which led to the Federal High Court judgment of 22nd May 2000 and culminated in the Supreme Court judgment of 21st May 2010.
They said regrettably, the CBN has engaged its pensioners in protracted litigation, extending even to enforcement proceedings, and has recently resorted to acts of intimidation and self-help, despite the matter being pending before a competent court.
The pensioners therefore “humbly and passionately appeal to the humane and labour-friendly Federal Government, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to extend to CBN pensioners the same ASUU spirit of constructive engagement, fairness, and timely resolution.”
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT POLICY ON
HARMONIZATION OF PENSIONS
Without prejudice to the briefings you might have received from the
CBN Management regarding pension matters, we wish to present
below the synopsis of issues involved:
The CRUX/KERNEL of the Policy is to ensure equality and
uniformity of payment of pensions to such retired officers who
retired on the same salary grade (and who served the same
number of years) irrespective of their dates of retirement/exit…
and that the said pensions should continue to be reviewed
upwards immediately salaries and allowances (of serving staff) are
reviewed.
Because the CBN was unwilling to implement the laudable policy,
FOUR CBN Pensioners took the matter to the Federal High Court,
Lagos (for themselves and as Representatives of ALL CBN
Pensioners). SUIT NO. FHC/L/CS/524/99, AMAO & ORS V CBN which
was filed on the 6th day of May, 1999 was a CLASS ACTION. A class
action, also known as representative action, is a type of lawsuit
where one of the parties is a group of people who are represented
collectively by a member or members of that group.
Judgment was delivered in favour of the CBN Pensioners on 22nd day
of May, 2000. The orders of the Federal High Court (FHC) came in
FIVE Paragraphs. Paragraph FOUR of the orders captured the
essence of the judgment thus:
“That the Respondent (CBN) is directed to pay to the Applicants
(CBN Pensioners) forthwith all accrued pensions calculated with
effect from 1st January, 1997 on emoluments currently earned
by their serving counterparts as prescribed under the Federal