Contrary to the orchestrated reports and lengthy speeches by the state government and over zealous political office holders who claim that the back log of pensions and gratuities owed retirees in the state have been, cleared, information available to our news desk indicate that the state government is deliberately living in denial with a view to deceiving the people to score cheap political points.

Some retirees who spoke to our reporter who sampled their opinions recently said they had to recently said they had to seek divine intervention by going for special mass at the Assumpta Cathedral because all their pleas and efforts to appeal to the conscience of those in power were futile.

Speaking recently shortly after the special mass they went for at the Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri, a pensioner and former Chairman of Retired Permanent Secretaries in Imo State, F.I. Agba, said Imo retirees are owed several months arrears of pensions and gratuities.

He hinged the ugly situation on what he described as greed, insensitivity to the plight of others, wickedness and negligence by the executive arm of government and the failure of other stakeholders to check their excesses as stipulated by law.

Agba, a retired thorough bred civil servant noted that, “Agba explained that pension matters are already determined by the constitution and that the governor has no authority to alter or delay pension payments”.

He frowned at the idea of government with holding the payment of pensions under the guise of unnecessary verification exercises, adding that aside from the fact that the pensioners have the Bank Verification Numbers BVNs, their records of service are with their respective ministries, departments and agencies.

He expressed disappointment that instead of the government to find ways of ensuring the payment of pensions and gratuities it prefers to engage in unnecessary falsehood while retirees are being subjected to untold hardship, lack and deprivation that have led to the death of many as a result of their inability to access medication.

“It is unfortunate that pensions and gratuities are deliberately withheld so that they can be siphoned by those in the poor at the expense of those whom it belongs. The whole scenario has become an avenue for embezzling public funds while retirees suffer and gnash their teeth.

“Aside being owed almost four years arrears of pension in the state, retirees have not received the minimum wage increase, despite the fact that the constitution made it clear that pensions should be renewed every five year alongside any civil service salary renew.

He urged the state government to ensure the harmonization of pension and gratuity payments in line with existing laws, and appealed to the governor to immediately pay pensioners in order to relieve them of their financial burdens and suffering.

Pensioners are going through hell in Imo State. They are not duly and regularly paid. Since 2015, some are being owed 48 to 52 months of pensions.

“We went to court and it determined that the governor has no control over pensions, which the present government appears to have forgotten. Is it the governor or the government that pays pensions? If it is the government, then the Accountant-General should pay as and when due. 

The governor has no business or role in pension payment.“Pension is not subject to annual budgetary control. It is a statutory charge. The governor has no business with such charges because they are already provided for by law or the constitution, and pension is one of them,” Agba maintained.