By Ogungbayi Adeyemi S. | adeyemi@ddnewsonline.com
Editor, DDNews |
Hundreds of aggrieved pensioners under the Concerned Pensioners Association, Benue State chapter, on Wednesday defied a heavy downpour to protest the non-payment of outstanding gratuities dating back to the year 2000.
The pensioners, who marched along Naka Road in Makurdi, carried placards with inscriptions such as “Your Excellency, you have buried pensioners for paying gratuities during your time, June 2023 to date,” and “Gov. Alia pay us 38–62 months pension arrears, 25 years gratuities, harmonisation.”
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Addressing journalists during the protest, Chairman of the association, Akosu Orban, said the action was due to Governor Hyacinth Alia’s failure to fulfil promises made to them in 2022.
Orban listed their key demands to include payment of outstanding pension arrears of between 38 and 62 months for state and local government pensioners respectively, harmonisation of pension rates as stipulated in the 1999 Constitution, and an end to what they described as connivance between the state government and the Nigeria Union of Pensioners.
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He revealed that the pensioners contributed money alongside the Motorcycle Association to purchase Governor Alia’s nomination and expression of interest forms for his re-election, hoping he would address their plight.
“But today, we regretted that step we took,” Orban said, adding that many pensioners who retired long ago are still being paid as low as N2,000 monthly.
The protesters called on President Bola Tinubu and the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to intervene and compel the governor to pay their entitlements.
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Reacting to the protest, the state Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning, Michael Oglegba, said the government inherited over N300 billion in unpaid pensions and gratuities — the highest in the country.
He stated that the Alia administration is doing its best, noting that it has been paying 100% gratuity to those who retired from 2023 to date, while gradually clearing the backlog.
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The protest highlights the growing frustration among retirees in Benue State over delayed entitlements amid economic hardship.
DDNewsOnline – Lagos
By Ogungbayi Adeyemi S. (Beedee)
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