Abia pensioners remind Ikpeazu of debts, plead for payment
The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) Abia State Council, at the weekend, pleaded with the State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, to seriously take note of debts owed them in order to accommodate them in the clearance of arrears of salaries and pensions he promised Abia workers.
The Council made the plea in a session which reviewed the indebtedness of the Abia State Government to the Abia pensioners and other workers in the state.
In a communiqué jointly signed by the State NUP Chairman, Comrade Chukwuma N. Udensi; Secretary, Elder O.C. Arungwa and released to newsmen at the end of the Council meeting held at the Umuahia Sub-Treasury hall, listed the debts as follows: 13 months Pension arrears owed to retired civil servants and retired secondary school teachers (from
August 2014 to December, 2014 and October, 2016 to May, 2017 respectively).
Others include 7 months pension arrears owed to retired primary school teachers and retired local government staff (from November 2016 to May, 2017).
They further mentioned the 6 months debts owed to Broadcasting Corporation of Abia (BCA) pensioners (May, June 2014 and January 2015 to April, 2015) and over 8 years of pension arrears owed to Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH) pensioners.
Other outstanding debts, according to the Council, include pension harmonisation arrears, 5 and half years of pension arrears to retired primary school teachers from June 2002 to August 2007, and gratuities to Abia pensioners which had been outstanding since 1999.
The pensioners, however, congratulated Governor Ikpeazu on his second anniversary in office with appreciable achievements and his resounding victory at the Supreme Court of Nigeria on May 12, 2017 which was the second Supreme Court ruling in his favour.
They thanked the governor for his hope inspiring firm promise and pledge to clear all arrears of salaries and pensions owed to Abia pensioners before the end of July, 2017 and earnestly prayed that Almighty God will graciously grant him the resources to fulfill his promises.
