By OnwukweEzeru
Special Correspondent, Umuahia
Retirees in Abia State have asked Governor OkezieIkepazu to ensure payment of their pension so they would not starve in old age after putting in their best in public service.
State Council of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) urged the government to apply equity in disbursing whatever funds available to accommodate pensioners.
NUP expressed sadness over the condition of Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH) retirees who have not been paid pension for over 25 months and pleaded with Ikpeazu to treat their case as a matter of serious concern.
It requested palliatives to ameliorate their condition.
A communiqué issued by the NUP after a meeting in Umuahia, jointly signed by its state Chairman, ChukwumaUdensi, and Secretary, O.C. Arungwa, commended NUP national headquarters for highlighting the plight of pensioners nationwide.
It urged the NUP national executive council to collaborate with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to take practical action to get the three tiers of government toeffectively address pension and gratuities payment.
The NUP acknowledged the unfavourable economic and political conditions under which the Abia State government operates, but noted itsdiscrimination in its payment of salaries and pension.
While some sectors on the government pay roll have been paid up to June 2016, it noted, retired civil servants and retired secondary school teachers are just being paid their pension for March 2016.
It pointed out that retired civil servants and secondary school teachers are owed pension from January to April 2015, but commended the Local Government Pensions Board for paying pension to council pensioners and retired primary school teachers up to April 2016.
The NUP decried the situation where the payment of gratuities have been in arrears since 1999 and urged the state government to start clearing the backlog.
It implored banks handling the payment of pensions to indicate the month for which payment is made in text alerts for ease of reconciliation.
It also urged banks to pay as soon as the government releases funds.