*Administration Officials Fast-Track Processing Of Details
By Felix Durumbah, Abuja
Palpable relief has flooded the hierarchy of Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) following the decision of members of the FCT Council of Nigeria Union of Pensioners Contributory Pension Scheme Sector (NUPCPSS) to call off a planned protest over unpaid Federal Government (FG)-approved pension adjustment and accumulated wage award arrears.
Both arrears were approved by President Bola Tinubu and have reportedly been paid by FG’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to their own retirees, the wage award, for instance, being settled by most since November, 2025, People&Politics gathered.
However, FCT is being treated, in accordance with the provisions of Section 299 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) “as if it were a state”, a development that makes it a self-funded organ, and so required to source funds to settle matters such as pension arrears to its retirees.
People&Politics gathered that the retirees had planned to protest on 3 September (tomorrow) after series of meetings with top ranked officials of the Administration suggested that the statutory payments were not forthcoming.
Obviously riled by what they perceived as the Administration’s stance, the pensioners summoned a congress meeting where a 21-day ultimatum was fired to the FCTA authorities to pay up or face a protest. A written official communication to this effect was duly served the FCT Minister’s Office.
The pensioners were angry that after serving their fatherland for at least 35 years in their most active and productive years and helping to build the nation’s capital to its present status, they were about to be denied payments already approved by President Tinubu, insisting that they will have none of that.
Moving fast, FCTA waded into the matter, despatching its Permanent Secretary, Common Services, Dr. Ajayi Rotimi Babatunde, a man said to be beloved by staff members, to meet with the leaders of the pensioners’ union.
People&Politics learned that at a lengthy meeting on 20 August, 2026 held at the headquarters office of FCT Pension Department, located at Area 3, Garki, both groups thrashed out grey areas, with FCTA committing to meet the retirees’ demands, the wage awards payment first, while funds will be sourced to clear the pension increase backlog dating back to about 2004, in some cases.
It was understood that FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, is taking personal interest in the payment matter.
To underline the authorities’ sincerity in quick resolution of the matter, People&Politics learned, at the meeting while Pension Department officials requested for three months to complete processing the work on payment details, the Permanent Secretary reportedly instantly overruled them, ordering the department to finish the task “in two months,no more.”
People&Politics was further told that staff members of the Pension Department have subsequently been working “almost overtime” to compute details of the payments and other aspects “so as to get everything ready within the two months deadline.”
Apparently pleased with the current situation of things, the NUPCPSS wrote to the Minister to inform him of the suspension of the union’s planned protest.
A copy of the three-paragraph letter, dated 31 August, 2026, and signed by Secretary, FCT NUPCPSS, FCT Council, Mr. Bala Mangtu, which was obtained by People&Politics, was titled ‘Protest, Put On Hold’, with the headline written in bold typeface.
The letter read, in full: “The Nigeria Union of Pensioners Contributory Pension Scheme Sector NUPCPSS wish to inform you that the union at its last meeting held on 27th August 2027 (sic) resolved to put on hold our planned protest which was scheduled for 3 September 2026; by implication therefore the 21-day ultimatum has been put on hold for two months.
“This development is as a result of the meeting between the Union and the FCT Management represented by the Permanent Secretary Common Services on behalf of the FCT Management on 20th August 2026 where the Management agreed to meet the Union’s demands by implementing the PENCOM and Wages Commission circulars on Pension increases for CPS retirees in FCT and other demands.
“Thank you.”
The letter, with a stamp and signature showing it had been signed for and received by the Office of the FCT Minister on 1 September, 2026, was copied the Permanent Secretary, Common Services; Director, FCT Command of Department of State Security Services (DSS); FCT Police Commissioner; Director, FCT Pension Department; and Director, FCT Area Council Staff Pension Board.
Recall that on 19 August, 2026, military pensioners staged a protest in front of Defence Headquarters, Abuja, over unpaid arrears of approved entitlements.
The protest, which enjoyed wide publicity, provoked angry reactions by Nigerians on social media most of whom blasted the government for abandoning those who had put their lives on the line for the country.
After about a week of tense stand-off between heavily armed military personnel at the Headquarters gate and the unyielding protesters, government and security officials met with leaders of the protesters and an agreement on payment was hammered out.
Again, Nigerians in their numbers took to social media to thumb up the government for the decision, but reminded it not to wait for protests before giving retirees their due.
*PHOTO CAPTION: Some retirees protesting over unpaid entitlements. File photo.
