Pensioners in Imo State who have continuously cried out over the non-payment of their arrears and gratuity, which they said has subjected them to untold hardship, hunger, lack and deprivation have explained why they are seeking God’s intervention at the Maria Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri.
The Senior Citizens, in a release signed on their behalf by Comrade Ike Ohaneje and Comrade Charles Amadi, as Chairman and Secretary General respectively stated that, “it is inexplicable that they are owed several months arrears despite the fact that pensions, as charges are not supposed to be part of the Governor’s appropriation bill. Hence, it should be paid whether or not the appropriation bill is approved.
Formerly the Accountant General usually paid pensions as and at when due. But regrettably, today, those in charge of the payment of pensions are ignorant of the extant laws. Hence, there are lots of irregularities.”
“On the issue of harmonization, the constitution stipulates that pensions should be harmonized every five years or be calculated alongside every salary increase depending on which comes first. This is in recognition of the usual impact of the cost of living.
However, it is unfortunate that this has not been done in the state since 2003 which is about 23 years ago. What this means is that those who retired in Imo State before the implementation of the last minimum wage are being short changed. In fact most of them are paid less than half of their entitlements”.
They also averred that, “gratuity, being the first part of pension, is under normal circumstances paid once, to enable the beneficiary to organize him or herself after retirement. Hence, it is also called Resettlement Allowance which the federal government pays as soon as a worker retires from service to enable him to adjust to the circumstances of his new life”.
They noted that the most agonizing aspect of it is that despite sacrificing their active youthful years in the service of the state, most of them are owed up to 48 months arrears of pensions and above in addition to being subjected to periodic unnecessary verification exercises.
‘Pensioners are asked to come for the so-called verification and when they come, they are neither paid for the day’s job, transport and other inconveniences. When an officer retires, he is issued with an id card. The purpose of the ID card is to enable the pensions to be identified each time he has business with the Government: Then what is the purpose of verification? The truth is that verification begins with some other documents, which the person has already provided.”
