Abia Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has urged the governor, Dr Alex Otti to come clean on the issue of pension arrears in the state.
By Emma Ogbuehi
Abia Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has urged the governor, Dr Alex Otti to come clean on the issue of pension arrears in the state.
According to the party, Otti is not sincere on the matter but rather confusing unsuspecting people of Abia State about the pension situation in the state.
Media reports had credited the Otti administration with clearing 10 years of pension arrears, a claim the PDP however dismisses as a hoax.
Abia PDP Vice Chairman/Acting State Publicity Secretary Elder Abraham Amah, who threw the challenge, alleged accused the governor of engaging in outright falsehood
According to him, to show further proof that the claim is false and embellished with visible lies, there are discrepancies in the claim because, government operatives and the pensioners do not agree on the accurate number of months cleared.
READ ALSO:
Otti visits Lokpanta Cattle Market, restates commitment to rid area of crime
Amah said that last week, the enlarged Executive Council-in-session of the Abia chapter of the National Pensioners Union (NUP) released a press statement dissociating itself from any agreement entered between the government and pensioners which purportedly agreed that pensioners forgo all outstanding arrears as a condition for the regular payment of their monthly pension.
He accused Otti of taking advantage of the desperation of the pensioners to insert that obnoxious clause in that agreement, adding that such an action is the height of infidelity, especially as he had promised several times, during the campaigns and after the elections that he would clear any pension arrears he met in office.
“While Abians are distraught and in shock that Governor Alex Otti could arm-twist and deceive desperate pensioners and trick them into signing an agreement that makes them forfeit their outstanding pensions, the Abia PDP is not, because it is typical of the governor, we don’t want to get used to it as many Abians.
“And that is why we have a sacred duty to hold him to account for his deeds in office. Everything Governor Otti has touched since he became Abia governor has ended in unnecessary controversy and always proven him as one who is always economical with the truth.”
Amah further said that Otti was not prepared ab initio to pay pension, otherwise he would not have pressured and tricked the leadership of NUP into signing an agreement to forgo its outstanding arrears.
“Did the agreement entered into with the leadership of the NUP expressly say that the government would claim to have paid in full pension arrears that were forfeited because Alex Otti at every given opportunity claimed that he has cleared all outstanding pension arrears in Abia?
“The records are clear that in the eight years of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, which amounts to 96 months, he paid 51 months pension and had an outstanding of 45 months which the NUP has acknowledged several times.
“Abia PDP wonders how 45 months suddenly turned to 9 or 10 years which Alex Otti consistently referenced during his toxic campaigns as an opposition figure. Unfortunately, he has carried on with his lies to the government and does not understand the boundaries between being in opposition and the government”.
Amah lauded what he termed the courage and maturity of the NUP in handling this matter and encouraged it to take the matter to arbitration for a quick resolution, stressing that it is inappropriate to ask one to forgo one’s arrears as a basis for receiving future entitlements.
The PDP also called on Governor Otti to desist from saying that he has cleared all outstanding pension arrears because such a claim is not the true position.
