Imo pensioners seek God’s intervention over non-payment of arrears by state govt

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners,NUP, Imo State Chapter, has held a thanksgiving Mass at Maria Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri, thanking God for keeping them alive while they wait for the state government to pay their outstanding gratuities and pensions.

The pensioners also used the service to seek God’s intervention in their plights, asking Him to touch the hearts of those saddled with the responsibility of paying them for what they laboured for during their time in active service.

Addressing journalists after the church service, the Chairman, Imo State Pension Intervention Committee, PIC, Comrade Ike Ohaneje, said that pensioners in the state have suffered a lot in the hands of those in authority, who he accused of playing politics with turned their plight.

He hinted that the government has called them all sorts of names simply because they are demanding for wages laboured for while in active service, working for the state government.

Ohaneje stressed that the pensioners are not begging government for money but are “demanding for their money kept under the custody of government in trust to be given back to them upon retirement”.

“Pensions are charges and therefore the constitution stipulates that charges are not part of the governor’s Appropriation Bill. Pensions are to be paid whether Appropriation Bill is approved or not.

The usual thing is that the Accountant General pays pension as at when due.

But now people paying pension do not know the extant rules which brings about irregularities.

“The constitution stipulates that pensions be harmonized every five years or together with every salary increase, whichever comes first. This is in recognition of the usual impact of cost of living and it has not been done in Imo State since 2003. This means that those who retired in the state before minimum wage were paid less their monthly pensions. For some people, they were paid less than half of their entitlements,” he said.

Ohaneje further hinted that the situation worsened during Rochas Okorocha’s administration, which he accused of using contract staff to run the pension scheme in the state, instead of using the office of the Accountant General.

He regretted that unfortunately, Governor Hope Uzodinma’s administration adopted the same method which messed up the whole situation as against the service rules.

“You will go to the office of the Accountant General, you will see all your details including your money, only to be told you can’t be paid because it’s not in their hands to do so,” he added.

The state PIC chairman asserted that many of their members have died through one sickness or the other while begging to be paid for what they laboured for.

He pointed out that withholding pensioners’ money is a crime against God and humanity, adding that the Bible even said that every labourer deserves his or her wages.

The PIC leader noted that gratuity is the first part of pensions paid once to enable the person reorganize and adjust to a new life.

He regretted that many of them are yet to receive their gratuity, including pension arrears, which according to him have accumulated up to 48 months, adding that instead of government addressing the issues, it went ahead to tag them ghost pensioners when their names are still with them.

Ohaneje further said that the most painful part is that they can no longer embark on a peaceful protest to avoid being tagged IPOB members as it has been the strategy allegedly employed by the present administration to divert the attention of the public from their plight.

He however pointed out that they decided to use the thanksgiving service as a way of asking the church to come to their aid, which the church has been doing.

Addressing the Pensioners after the church service, Rev FR. Martin Edward Ohajunwa told them that their names have been sent to the appropriate quarters and that the archdiocese is in constant touch with government on the matter.

He also asked those who are yet to submit their names to do so for onward transmission and prayed that God will touch the hearts of those in authority to do the needful.