Ex-Biafra police officers under the auspices of the Association of War Affected Police Officers (AWARPO) have expressed gratitude to President Mohammadu Buhari and the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), for paying their pensions and gratuity.
The organisation is the body of police officers from South East and South South who were retired with ignominy after the end of the Nigeria-Biafra Civil War of the 1960s.
AWARPO President, Matthew Udeh, made the commendation yesterday in Enugu in a goodwill message at a two-day stakeholders form organised by PTAD for pensioners from the South East Region held at the Destiny Events Centre, Enugu.
The gathering was also used to test the PTAD electronic data capturing scheme called, “I Am Alive,” aimed at ensuring that only living pensioners received pensions, not ghost pensioners.
Udeh said they will forever remain eternally grateful to President Mohammadu Buhari and the PTAD management who deemed it fit to recall them after thirty years they were laid off without any compensation.
According to him, but for the amnesty granted them, all the years they spent serving Nigeria before the civil war broke out would have been in vain, but expressed gratitude to God that they were eventually recalled and retired honourably. “We are happy. We were recalled and retired honourably after 30 years,” the AWARPO president said.
He however said that it was difficult getting their statistics but that through the Police Service Commission, “were able to piece our pieces.
Udeh disclosed that it was the dogged effort of the former Executive Secretary, PTAD, Mrs. Sharon Ikazor, who is now the junior minister of the Ministry of Environment, who presented their case before President Buhari that they were enrolled in the pensions scheme which they are now enjoying today.
The AWARPO president disclosed that before Ikazor left, they had been paid all their outstanding entitlements.
He however expressed gratitude that the PTAD Executive Secretary, Dr. Chioma Ejikeme who succeeded Ikazor has been helpful and has ensured that they continued to receive their pensions.
He only appealed that the next of kin of their diseased colleagues should be allowed to collect their relatives’ dues.
