Catholic Archbishop to pensioners: Pray, fast for God to touch Okorocha’s heart

Catholic Archbishop of Owerri, Most Rev. Anthony Obinna, on Sunday called on all pensioners in Imo State to embark on three days prayer and fasting to enforce the release of their pension arrears by Governor Rochas Okorocha.
The senior citizens were owed 10 months arrears of pensions, while some arrears were unpaid since 1998.
Obinna, in an interactive session with the retirees at the Maria Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri, after a special church service over their plight, recommended three days prayer and fasting sessions to compel the government to release their benefits.
“The Catholics among you should pray the rosary for three days, while the non-Catholics should pray Psalm 145 and Psalm 150 with fasting for God to touch the mind of Governor Rochas Okorocha to pay arrears owed you pensioners,’’ he said.
The cleric, who admonished the pensioners to be strong over the challenges while living without their pensions, said that there is nothing that the Lord cannot do.
“I gathered that you have made representations and sent correspondences to government on the need for government to pay your arrears, but what is holding the pay up till now?’’ he queried.
Obinna recalled the state of affairs in Imo around the year 1982, and regretted that the state appeared to be facing depression in the manner governance was going in recent time.
“In 1982 when I was a lecturer at Alvan Ikoku College of Education, respect of civil servants was more to the institution than to an individual.
“Today the reverse is the case and that explains why a worker and pensioner could be owed for a very long period of time,’’ he said.
He, however, urged the pensioners to free their minds of the notion that their plight was based on the allegation that they did not vote for Rochas as governor during the 2015 election.
“At the time I was to be made Bishop, not everybody supported me, but today, I am Bishop for everybody,’’ he said.
Some of the pensioners, including Chief Hyacinth Onyekwere, Fabian Agba, Charles Okorafor and Mrs Ngozi Onyirioha, said that they were at the Cathedral to seek the face of God over their plight.
“We have sent representations, sent correspondences, used the media to convey the predicaments of Imo pensioners to Gov. Okorocha but no positive treatment has come our way.
“It is because of the failure of all these measures that made us to come to seek the face of God and that the Archbishop, as the most high servant of God will also reach the governor to speak on our behalf,’’ Onyekwere said on their behalf.
A massive number of pensioners attended the mass presided over by Archbishop Obinna and other clergy, including Rev. Fr. John Obilor, Rev. Fr. Innocent Osuagwu and Rev. Fr. Gerald Onyekwere, the Cathedral administrator.