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Retirement under present scheme a death trap – NLC

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*Says, nations pension scheme pauperizes workers at retirement

By Francesca Hangeior.

 

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has raised the alarm, claiming the present pension scheme is pauperising workers at retirement.

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According to NLC, retirement under the present scheme may have become a death sentence for many retirees and this has many consequences for behaviour of workers in active service.

President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, who raised the alarm in a remark at a retirement summit in Abuja, with the theme “Challenges, Strategies, Prospects and Opportunities at Retirement in Nigeria”, faulted the alleged over N360 billion pension arrears owed by the federal government to its retirees.

He said “The pension scheme, as it currently stands in Nigeria, unfortunately falls short of its fundamental purpose; to provide for workers in their old age. The medium for storing Pensions which is the Naira has maintained an unstable value and has kept depreciating over the years. It is only a stable platform that can truly serve as a solid store of value that can sufficiently maintain the value of contributions when workers retire.

“Pensions are meant to offer security and peace of mind, ensuring that retirees can enjoy their golden years without financial stress and in good health. However, the reality for many of us is starkly different.

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“It is worrying that most of retired members encounter not just health challenges but many others leading to untimely deaths because of the character and nature of our Pension scheme which pauperises them financially at retirement.

“Retirement under the present scheme may therefore become a death sentence for many and this has many consequences for behaviour of workers in active service.

”The federal government it is alleged owes nearly N260 billion in pension arrears, with federal parastatals accounting for an additional N40 billion. Some states have arrears stretching up to eight years. In the private sector, reports indicate that many companies are in arrears of up to three years, deducting contributions from workers’ salaries without remitting them to the respective Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs).

“In 2021, PENCOM according to its fourth quarter 2021 report, appointed recovery agents realised from 36 defaulting employers N984.23 million, representing N406.42 million as principal contribution and N577.87 million as penalty. The Micro-Pensions designed for the informal sector remain inadequately activated, further complicating the financial security of our informal economy workers.

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”The non-contributory Pensions funds are still subject to severe lootings by those who are supposed to manage them without consequences. The Maina and the former Accountant General issues are still very fresh in our minds.

“As usual, people get away with all manners of mind-boggling heist in our nation. We had wished that the various statutory agencies saddled with the responsibility of protecting workers are alive to their responsibilities. These challenges create an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty for the average worker approaching retirement in Nigeria.”

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Celebrity boxing: Speed Darlington wants rematch after losing to Portable

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Nigerian singer Speed Darlington is calling for a rematch against Portable after losing to him in a celebrity boxing match.

Speed Darlington was knocked out in the second round, and he’s unhappy about the outcome.

In a video, he claimed Portable didn’t deserve the win and the prize money, saying he had plans to use the money to build a swimming pool for his community in Imo State.

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Portable, I want a rematch. E dey pain me say you dey carry all that money dey go. E dey break my heart.

” I want a rematch. It’s so unfair. You have up to two experience before me and you fight. I never enter ring before. I did not come from poverty,” he said.

“You don’t deserve that money. E dey pain me. I want to build swimming pool for my villagers. I need a rematch, Portable”, he said.

According to Speed Darlington, Portable had an unfair advantage due to his experience, accusing him of using supernatural means to win the fight.

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He also claimed he suffered a shoulder injury during the match despite not feeling tired.

Speed Darlington, who wants a rematch, said he needs 30 days to prepare better

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Israel’s remote controlled bulldozers breaking ground in Gaza war

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At first glance, there is nothing unusual about the bulky bulldozer turning up soil at a testing site in central Israel, but as it pulled closer it became clear: the driver’s cabin is eerily empty.

This is the Robdozer, a fortified engineering vehicle manned remotely, and in this case operated from a military expo halfway across the globe in Alabama.

Army engineers and military experts say that the Robdozer — the robotic version of Caterpillar’s D9 bulldozer — is the future of automated combat.

The Israeli military has used D9 for years to carry out frontline tasks like trowelling roads for advancing troops, removing rubble and flattening terrain.

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But since war in Gaza broke out in October 2023 and later in Lebanon, the Israeli military has increasingly deployed this robotic version in a bid to enhance its field operations and reduce the risks to its troops.

“The idea is to eliminate the person from the cockpit of the dozer,” said Rani, whose team at the state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries developed the Robdozer.

An unmanned D9 bulldozer digs up a field during a demonstration to the press at the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) quarters near Tel Aviv on March 26, 2025. Israel’s increasing use of advanced technology on the battlefield, from air defence systems to a broad range of AI-driven intelligence tools, has been well-documented but also criticised for inaccuracies, lack of human oversight and potential violations of international law. (Photo by GIL COHEN-MAGEN / AFP)

During the Gaza war, the military has increasingly opted for the unmanned version, which can carry out a full range of tasks “even better than a human”, said Rani, using his first name only for security reasons.

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While such vehicles and other systems are currently operated by humans, future versions could be autonomous, raising ethical and legal concerns over the unchartered future of warfare being shaped by the Israeli military in the Gaza war.

‘Changing the paradigm’
Israel’s increasing use of advanced technology on the battlefield, from air defence systems to a broad range of AI-driven intelligence tools, has been well-documented but also criticised for inaccuracies, lack of human oversight and potential violations of international law.

Analysts say the growing Israeli deployment of the Robdozer reflects broader global trends towards automation in heavy combat vehicles, like remote-controlled personnel carriers that operate much like drones.

An Israeli military official, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, told AFP that the army has been using “robotic tools for over a decade, but in very small numbers. Now it is being used in large-scale warfare”.

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70-hour Chess Marathon: Onakoya reportedly breaks record set by Norwegians

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Nigerian chess sensation and founder of Chess in Slums Africa, Tunde Onakoya, has broken the chess marathon record of 61 hours, 3 minutes, and 34 seconds, set by two Norwegian players, Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad, in June 2024.

Onakoya and his chess partner, Shawn Martinez, are currently aiming to complete a 70-hour chess marathon in Times Square, New York.

The marathon, a four-day non-stop gameplay, started on April 17.

In a post shared on X shortly after surpassing the current record, he expressed fulfillment and called for action to educate and create opportunities for street children in Nigeria.

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For all the dreamers! We’ve officially BROKEN THE RECORD with my brother,” he wrote.

Although the official confirmation from Guinness World Records is still being awaited, Nigerians and chess lovers from different parts of the world have congratulated the chess master on his latest achievement.

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