…decries 20 years of unpaid gratuity
…vows to take legal action against govt
Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy & Development (FENRAD) has condemned the Abia State government for the inability to pay pensioners for 38 months, describing the situation as unacceptable.
The Pro-Democracy and Environmental Rights Advocacy Group said that the 38 months of unpaid pension that pushed Abia pensioners into the streets of Umuahia last week is not only condemnable but worrisome given the excruciating economic hardship of the day.
News Echo reports that the aggrieved senior citizens accused Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s administration of being insensitive to their health and welfare during their protest in Umuahia last week. They lamented that it is terrible to them and their families that they are being ignored amid socio-economic hardship in the country and begged the government to take immediate and practical steps to clear the pension arrears and the outstanding gratuities.
The senior citizens displayed placards with different inscriptions, such as Abia pensioners: Monthly payment for 38 months now and Non-payment of gratuity since 2002. FENRAD said it is painful that senior citizens who exhausted their prime in service to their state are not pensioned for three years and two months now.
Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor Executive, FENRAD said the group is more alarmed that Abia State stopped payment of gratuity to her old citizens in 2002; that’s 20 years ago. “This casts serious doubt on the issue of salary and allowance payments to state workers, and on whether the state can pay the minimum wage at ₦30,000. “Sadly, within the intervening years (since 2002) Abia has had Governors Orji Uzor Kalu, Theodore Ahamefula Orji and Okezie Ikpeazu (still incumbent) and yet the issue of gratuity remains unresolved as of yet. “This represents flagrant abuse of ‘right to work and receive commensurate payment’ retired citizens of Abia should have access to as enshrined in the 1999 constitution (as amended).
“The meaning of this, in a constitutional sense, is that Abia State has remained in breach of the constitution of the federation from 2002 to date even when its revenues – both independent and statutory – never ceased flowing. “This, FENRAD says, is illegality against all known international labour laws, protocols and instruments binding on Abia as a part of the Nigerian state; a point of law a layman can assert! “Having stated this, FENRAD urges the state government to go one better by beginning the process of carrying out massive reforms in the pension and gratuity sector as it is not acceptable to have ghost employees (retired or active) in the state’s payroll drain lean state resources.
This concern addresses the Ministry/Minister of Finance in particular.” FENRAD said that inasmuch as it is true that a huge part of this problem preceded the administration of Governor Ikpeazu who only inherited it, the governor who has vowed to begin implementation of payment must be considerate with Abia pensioners some of whom are now demented, dependent, invalid, aged and impoverished. Nwafor said that the pensioners need their pay to manage their old age and the challenges that come with that, especially in this era when the nation faces a sharp rise in inflation rate amid purchasing power decline accompanied by the skyrocketing price of foodstuffs.
“FENRAD believes in the ability of the state government to reverse the trend and up the ante by launching far-reaching reforms capable of harmonizing all pension issues and outstanding arrears.” FENRAD said it wishes the state government success in this venture of launching far-reaching reforms capable of harmonizing all pension issues and outstanding arrears in the state. However, the foundation stressed that should the problem continue unabated, it will in solidarity join the pensioners, and take actions where necessary, including the legal measure.
