Nigerian Railway Senior Citizens: Urge Tinubu on Housing Monetization Dispute

• The Association of Nigerian Railway Senior Citizens has appealed to President Bola Tinubu regarding the non-implementation of a housing monetization policy.
• The 2004/2005 policy allows public officers to purchase occupied quarters, but railway retirees have been denied this right despite a 2016 court judgment.
• The policy was fully implemented in other government agencies, but the Nigerian Railway Corporation only monetized vehicles and furniture, not housing.
• Attempts at settlement with the NRC management and a ministerial committee failed because proposed terms contradicted the policy and judgment, offering leases instead of outright ownership.
• The association seeks presidential intervention to enforce the policy, implement the court judgment, and provide compensation and resettlement allowances for affected retirees and widows.

This stance underscores the importance of ensuring policy adherence and fair settlement negotiations to avoid prolonged disputes and protect established employee rights.

The Association of Nigerian Railway Senior Citizens has formally appealed to President Bola Tinubu, urging his intervention in the protracted dispute surrounding the Federal Government's housing monetisation policy as it pertains to railway quarters. This plea was articulated by Mr. Olusegun Esan, the association's Chairman, during a news conference held in Lagos on a recent Saturday. The core of the issue is the non-implementation of a policy designed to allow retired railway workers and their families to acquire the official residences they currently occupy.

Mr. Esan highlighted that despite the policy's introduction in 2004/2005, these retirees have been consistently denied the opportunity to own their homes. This ongoing situation has led to significant hardship for many pensioners and their families, with some reportedly passing away and others facing homelessness due to the unresolved legal battle. The association seeks a definitive resolution to this long-standing grievance.

The Federal Government's housing monetisation policy was initially conceived to reduce the government's financial burden associated with maintaining official residences. Concurrently, it aimed to provide both serving and retired public officers with the chance to purchase their occupied quarters at affordable rates, thereby fostering home ownership. While this policy has seen full implementation across various government ministries, departments, and agencies, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Nigerian Ports Authority, and even the judiciary, its application within the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has been notably incomplete.

According to the association, the NRC's past management did initiate partial implementation of the monetisation process, covering aspects like vehicles and furniture. However, the critical component concerning residential quarters, where thousands of retirees live, was inexplicably omitted. This selective implementation is particularly perplexing given the Nigerian Railway Corporation's historical significance as one of Africa's largest employers, once boasting over 50,000 workers whose families were spread across the nation.

The dispute over the Nigerian Railway housing monetization policy has been mired in a prolonged legal battle, culminating in a 2016 court judgment that the association believes supports their claims. In an effort to resolve the matter outside of court, the Association of Nigerian Railway Senior Citizens has undertaken numerous initiatives, including direct correspondence with the NRC management, the Minister of Transportation, the Ministry of Justice, and other relevant authorities. They have also submitted comprehensive documentation detailing the history of the dispute, identifying affected residential quarters across various railway districts, and highlighting properties allegedly occupied by third parties.

Despite these efforts, recent attempts at a settlement with the current NRC management proved unsuccessful. The association rejected the proposed conditions, asserting that they contradicted both the Federal Government’s monetisation policy and the existing court judgment. Specifically, the proposed settlement sought to convert the retirees' ownership rights into lease arrangements, a condition the association found unacceptable, as the policy explicitly provides for outright ownership. Furthermore, a settlement committee established by a former Minister of Transportation was criticized for excluding the association's representatives from its deliberations, leading to the rejection of its recommendations. The Federal Ministry of Justice, meanwhile, has declined to intervene, citing the ongoing nature of the court matter.

In light of the persistent challenges and the perceived disregard for their established rights, the Association of Nigerian Railway Senior Citizens has made a direct appeal to President Bola Tinubu. They are urging the President to instruct the Attorney-General of the Federation and the NRC management to facilitate the immediate implementation of the monetisation policy and the 2016 court judgment. This directive is seen as crucial to ending the prolonged suffering of the retirees.

The association is also advocating for the provision of compensation and resettlement allowances for all affected retirees and widows, emphasizing the need for the government to address their grievances without further delay. While the association remains open to an amicable resolution, its chairman, Mr. Olusegun Esan, has unequivocally stated that they will not accept any conditions that undermine the legally established rights of the retirees. This stance underscores the importance of ensuring policy adherence and fair settlement negotiations to avoid prolonged disputes and protect established employee rights.

Lawyers advising public sector entities or employee associations in Nigeria should note the complexities and potential liabilities arising from the non-implementation of government policies like the housing monetization scheme, especially when a court judgment exists. This case underscores the importance of ensuring policy adherence and fair settlement negotiations to avoid prolonged disputes and protect established employee rights.

Source: Original reporting via The Punch