Momentum grew on Thursday for the demand by public sector workers to receive their pension contributions in full, as the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) restated its call for major amendments to the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
The union also restated its long-standing opposition to moves to privatise unity schools, warning that such attempts amount to “selling off Nigeria’s collective heritage.”
These positions were presented at the Association’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, where the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, and ASCSN President, Comrade Shehu Mohammed, addressed delegates on key national issues.
To open the meeting, the Minister praised the Association’s “long-standing commitment to advancing the rights, welfare, and professional development of senior civil servants,” describing ASCSN as a “dependable partner” in stabilising Nigeria’s industrial relations system.
He added, “This administration will continue to prioritise social dialogue as a tool for resolving disputes and improving workplace conditions… we remain committed to fostering harmonious industrial relations and promoting decent work.”
The Minister urged delegates to use the NEC meeting to address the most pressing concerns of civil servants nationwide.
Transitioning to union matters, ASCSN President Shehu Mohammed delivered a detailed account of the Union’s activities since the 2024 Delegates Conference. He announced the full relocation of the Union’s national secretariat from Lagos to Abuja and the resumption of construction on its new Mabushi headquarters.
A key highlight, Mohammed said, is the restoration of gratuity for public service workers, set to begin in January 2026—an achievement he described as a victory after years of agitation.
“It is a thing of joy that gratuity to public service employees has been restored more than ten years after it was stopped for no justifiable reason,” he noted.
Shifting to the contentious Contributory Pension Scheme, Mohammed echoed widespread anger among workers about the 25% lump-sum payout allowed under current law.
According to him, “The greatest complaint by contributors is that the 25% lump sum paid to them on exiting service is grossly inadequate… the current request from many contributors is that the total money should be paid in bulk so that retirees can invest their money as they desire.”
He insisted that the CPS Act must be amended to permit full withdrawal of pension savings, adding that such a clause would eliminate the need for an overhaul of the entire Act.
On the renewed push to privatise unity schools, Mohammed warned that the Union would fiercely resist any such move. He recalled the nationwide backlash that halted similar attempts during the Obasanjo administration, saying:
“Another set of people is angling to take over King’s College, Lagos, and the current leadership of the Association is doing everything it can to make sure that the schools will not be sold.”
He stressed that unity schools must remain accessible to all Nigerian children, regardless of tribe or socioeconomic status.
Mohammed also raised alarm over worsening insecurity nationwide, urging the Federal Government to urgently reform the country’s security architecture. He proposed a State Police system shielded from political abuse through an oversight commission involving labour, traditional rulers, political parties, religious groups, and civil society.
Closing the session, he urged union members to remain united and alert. “The current National Leadership of the Association is committed to lifting the banner of the Union to greater heights,” he assured.
 restated its call for major amendments to the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).){kind=link}