Untold hardship of old retirees over unpaid pension
“I pray God that I will take these my two hands to take my pension because I really worked hard for the government. Even on Sundays, I went to work. Go to the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing in Lagos here, and ask of Mrs. Comfort Tinuade Williams, they can attest to this. I retired at Grade 7 Level 7 as a Senior Personnel officer.” These were the lamentations from the 87-year- old retiree, Mrs Comfort Tinuade Williams. Williams retired from the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing on May 18, 1992, after spending 33 years in active service. She has not been paid any pension since May 2009 to date. When The Guardian visited the Lagos residence of ‘Mama Williams’ as she is fondly called, assisted to the living room in crutches by her caregiver; and supported to sit on a wheelchair, mama, who is a widow, broke down in torrential tears that gently cascaded down her wrinkled face. After regaining her composure, she carefully narrated her bitter experience thus: