The Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Lagos State Chapter, has called on the Lagos State Government to immediately implement pension enhancement and pay outstanding entitlements owed to retired workers in the state.
The party’s call followed a warning protest by pensioners under the Nigeria Union of Pensioners Contributory Pension Scheme (NUPCPS), Lagos State Council, at Iyana Ipaja on Monday, where they issued a seven-day ultimatum to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, with August 31, 2026, set as the deadline for action.
In a statement signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Ayodele Kazeem, on Tuesday, the APM described the continued delay in addressing the pensioners’ demands as unacceptable, stressing that the retirees were only asking for benefits they had already earned after years of service to Lagos State.
The party said the pensioners’ proposal for the implementation of pension enhancement was submitted in January 2026, while the Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC) reportedly indicated that approval had been given for an actuary to facilitate the process.
It, however, expressed concern that implementation had yet to commence several months later.
The APM said it was particularly troubling that elderly citizens who had served the state for decades were being forced to stage protests and issue ultimatums to secure their legitimate entitlements.
“These are not people demanding favours from the government. They are men and women who spent decades of their productive lives serving Lagos State,” the party said, adding that some pensioners reportedly served for as long as 35 years.
According to the APM, reports that some pensioners were struggling to afford food and medication, while others had reportedly died while waiting for their entitlements, made the situation more urgent.
The party questioned why the pension enhancement proposal submitted since January had not been implemented, why an actuarial process reportedly approved had not been concluded, and why retirees were repeatedly required to negotiate for benefits they had already earned.
The APM also criticised what it described as the contrast between the government’s approach to revenue collection and its handling of obligations to pensioners.
“Government has no difficulty demanding money from citizens. But when it is time to fulfil its own obligations to citizens, we hear of committees, actuarial reviews, meetings, approvals and administrative processes,” it said.
The party urged Governor Sanwo-Olu to direct the immediate payment and implementation of all legitimate outstanding pension enhancements, wage awards and other verified entitlements owed to Lagos pensioners.
It also called on the Lagos State House of Assembly to intensify its oversight of the matter and protect the interests of retirees and other vulnerable residents.
The APM commended the NUPCPS for peacefully advocating for its members and urged the state government to engage the pensioners in good faith and resolve the issue before the August 31 deadline.
The party warned that it would continue to stand with the pensioners, insisting that they should not be treated as beneficiaries seeking charity.
“Let it be clear: APM Lagos stands with the pensioners. They are not asking for charity. They are demanding what they earned,” the statement said.
