Retirees in Edo State have come together under the
umbrella body of Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) with a message to Governor Adams Oshiomhole: ‘If you don’t pay our arrears going to 42 months, we will vote against your candidate, Godwin Obaseki, on September 10’.
They held a special prayer session on Friday and told Oshiomhole to forget their votes if he doesn’t pay their arrears.
The interdenominational service, held at the Rt. (Rev). Dr. S. I. Usunaele hall at Emokpae primary school premises in Benin City, attracted hundreds of them.
Comrade Pullen Noruwa, Chairman of NUP, Edo State Council, disclosed that the gathering was aimed at seeking divine intervention, following excruciating pains experienced by the pensioners in the state.
Noruwa said: “Inspite of the constrains and challenges
pensioners face in the struggle to ensure payment of their
pension benefits, we should pray to the Almighty God to touch the heart of those in authority to facilitate the payment of our outstanding pension benefits.”
Noruwa explained that some of the problems faced by pensioners is alleged refusal of Oshiomhole to pay the 6% and 15% pension increases to state pensioners.
“The non payment of all outstanding arrears of pensions; the non harmonisation of pensioners’ pension and non payment of outstanding monthly pension of local government pensioners in the state, including the non payment of 33% pension increase.
The pensioners, who collectively threatened to vote out the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on September 10 if these issues are not addressed, demanded an expedited action on placement of the retired pensioners on payroll.
Noruwa also called for payment of all outstanding gratuities to the pensioners and payment of three months salary in lieu of notice to the officers compulsorily retired in the state.
On his part, Elder G.O Osemwenkhai on behalf of All Concerned Pensioners/Retirees, Edo State, added: “We hereby use this medium to appeal to our royal fathers, politicians, elder statesmen, mothers, the Clergy and all well-meaning citizens of Edo State to prevail on the state government to pay arrears of pension entitlements to over
1,000 deprived pensioners.”
Osemwenkhai maintained that for the avoidance of doubt, the state government has delayed the payment of arrears of pension, ranging from 10 to 42 months as a result of which pensioners have been groaning in penury and pains.
He disclosed that pensioners will, on Monday, embark on a
mass protest across the three senatorial districts of the South-South state.
The interdenominational prayer session was attended by Sheikh Amedu Oyakhire, Alhaji Shehu Dododawa, Alhaji Bako Yusuf and Bishop Frank Ojehunme (JP) of Light of God Chapel, Holy Spirit Manifestation Ministries.
The clerics prayed for the quick payment of the arrears.
