Lawyer Calls for Criminalisation of Delayed Pension Payments

Lawyer and public affairs analyst, Maxwell Opara, has called for legislation to criminalise the delay or denial of pension payments to retirees, saying pensioners should not be forced to protest before accessing their legitimate entitlements.

Opara made the call during an interview with ARISE News on Thursday, arguing that Nigerians who spent decades in public service deserved to receive their pensions and gratuities as and when due.

He said failure to pay pensions promptly should attract criminal sanctions, stressing that retirees were demanding money they had earned through years of service, rather than seeking financial assistance.

Opara also condemned the alleged use of tear gas against protesting pensioners, describing it as a violation of their constitutional rights to peaceful assembly and expression.

He urged affected pensioners to pursue their demands through lawful means and offered to provide free legal services to those whose rights were allegedly violated. He said pensioners could approach the courts to seek enforcement of their fundamental rights.

The lawyer further criticised the deployment of security personnel during pension protests, saying their responsibility should be to maintain order and prevent demonstrations from being hijacked by hoodlums, rather than confronting peaceful protesters.

Opara also expressed concern over prolonged delays in the payment of retirees’ entitlements, including repeated verification exercises which, according to him, further frustrate pensioners seeking access to their funds.

He criticised the National Assembly for what he described as inadequate protection of retirees’ interests, saying stronger legislation and oversight were needed to address the challenges.

Opara said that if elected to the House of Representatives, he would sponsor a bill seeking to criminalise delayed pension payments and strengthen the protection of pensioners’ rights.