Pensioners in Abia State on Wednesday protested the non-payment of their 38 months pensions and 20 years gratuities by the State Government.
The coordinator of the group, Emeka Okezie said even when they were paid, they got only a quarter of their salaries.
He said, “We have no money to buy drugs, especially our diabetic and hypertensive pensioners.”
Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu assured the pensioners that the state government is making a conscious effort to ensure regular and consistent payment of pensions in the State.
He said that pension is their right and no government would joke with it.
The Governor who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Chris Ezem encouraged the pensioners to ensure their leadership engages the government before resorting to protest and appealed to them to be patient with Government.
In his response, the Commissioner of Finance, Dr. Aham Uko blamed the development on the prevalent “economic downturn” facing the world which Nigeria has been grappling with as a nation.
Uko also blamed the delay experienced in the payment of pensions on the identification of 4,422 irregular pensioners in the State.
He added that the gratuities attached to the irregular names amounted to over 6 billion naira.
According to him, government in liaison with the executives of pensioners had to ensure that the irregular names were extricated before gratuity and pensions are paid.
He disclosed that having concluded the exercise, payment of pensions in the State would henceforth be regular even as he disclosed that some pensioners have already started receiving their pensions.
The Commissioner said that network challenge in some banks is the reason behind the non-receipt of their pay by all pensioners and assured that by Friday, they all will have received their pensions.
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