PENSIONERS in Delta and Imo have alleged neglect by their state governments.
A joint statement by the Chairman of the Delta State branch of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), Chief Matthias Ubiebi and the Secretary, Mr. J. Oki, accused the state government of operating a policy that causes the early death of pensioners.
Ubiebi and Oki, who made their grievances known after an executive committee meeting, explained that the pensioners should be paid first.
They decried a situation where the state government goes about looking for money to pay them when the state is high on internally generated revenue, receives very high excess crude oil allocation and ranks about the third/fourth in federal monetary allocation.
Also, about 300 Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) pensioners on Wednesday embarked on a street protest in Owerri demanding an immediate payment of 23 months of pension arrears owed them by the state government.
A spokesperson of the group, Chidi Madu, told The Guardian that since the administration of Governor Rochas Okorocha came on board in May 2011, it hadonly paid them for one month in July 2012.
He regretted that a few months ago when the administration claimed it cleared 12 years arrears owed pensioners in the state at an open payment done at the International Handball Stadium, Wethedral Road, Owerri, only three months arrears were actually paid and this was without IBC pensioners benefitting.
He lamented: "I think Imo has always been unlucky. What is our crime? Not paying IBC pensioners for 23 month! ... All of them promise without fulfilling."
Madu recalled how the payment had been going on in the past, adding that throughout the administration of the immediate past governor of the state, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, in "every two months, one month was paid."
Continuing, he regretted: "Since Rochas Okorocha came in May 29, 2011, only July 2012 pension has been paid."
Recalling the claim of payment of 12 years arrears of pension at the stadium by the government, he said: "That was a show, he claimed he paid at the stadium. No IBC pensioner was paid and it was not 12 years payment, it was only three months."
Besides, retired senior police officers, under the aegis of the Elders Club of Nigeria on Wednesday protested against their low monthly pension, adding that they be paid handsomely in line with the realities of the time and appropriately too.
They also urged the appropriate quarters and the Federal Government to ensure that the retired officers enjoy the health insurance scheme they subscribed to.
The protesting retirees were in the ranks of retired assistant superintendents, assistant commissioners and inspectors general.
Briefing The Guardian after their Imo State chapter meeting at Police Senior Officers Mess in Owerri, capital city of Imo State, the National President of the body, Dr. Moses Ajeka, a retired Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) regretted that despite all the previous pleas made to the authorities regards the payment, they had continued to receive less than what a serving corporal receives monthly.
The officers later took their protest to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Jimoh Osi Obeh, urging him to forward their grievances to the right authorities.
Ajeka, who briefed The Guardian jointly withthe Imo State chairman of the body, Hyginus Nliam Ilobi, a retired Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), said they had no option than to take their case to the National Assembly and other relevant authorities for their voices to be heard. The Guardian