Chairman of the Military Pensions Board to start paying pension arrears

Chairman of the Military Pensions Board to start paying pension arrears

Chairman of the Military Pensions Board to start paying pension arrears

AVM Paul Irumheson, the Chairman of the Military Pensions Board (MPB), has attested to the Federal Government’s payment of the remaining 50% of military retirees’ pension arrears.

AVM Paul Irumheson, the Chairman of the Military Pensions Board (MPB), has attested to the Federal Government’s payment of the remaining 50% of military retirees’ pension arrears.
Speaking to protesting military veterans at the Ministry of Finance in Abuja on Tuesday, Irumheson made this point clear.

He assured the demonstrators that they would begin receiving the arrears at any time and urged them to call off the demonstration.

He stated that the bank was processing the payment.
“I promise that you will start receiving your alerts at any moment,” he stated.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the retirees demanded the full payment of their long-overdue pensions and set up chairs and canopies to block the Ministry of Finance’s entrance.

They claimed that in addition to other unpaid benefits, they were due a 20–28% pay increase for January–November 2024.

These included a refund of pension deductions from the salary of medically boarding soldiers, a bulk payment of the Security Debarment Allowance, an additional N32,000 added to their pensions, and palliatives for the months of October 2023–November 2024.

Recall that the Federal Government committed to settle the remaining amount and paid 50% of the benefits that were owed in response to their demonstrations in December.

However, the pensioners resumed their protests on Tuesday, claiming the administration had not kept its pledge.

Retired Col. Innocent Azubuike, speaking on behalf of the demonstrators, claimed that the government’s inability to keep its pledge to settle their outstanding debt was the reason behind the demonstration.

Before calling off the protest, Azubuike stated that they were awaiting confirmation from the MPB Chairman that the payment had been completed and that they will begin receiving their money.

We stated that we would not be leaving this location if we did not receive specific information today.

The Chairman of the Pensions Board is present to verify that the funds have been transferred to him, which brings us to a close.

That indicates that we are certain we will receive payment. You can see us trying to joke and cheer up since we were upset earlier, and that’s what has brought him,” he said. (NAN)