The Abia Pensioners’ Forum, a group in the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP) has urged Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti to review the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) he signed with the NUP on payment of pension and gratuity arrears.
Barr. Okey Kanu, the group's Coordinator, stated to the press on Wednesday in Umuahia that, the group is non-political and unaffiliated with any party. He emphasized that their goal is to seek clarity on the clearance of pension and gratuity arrears, not to confront the state government.
The group highlighted that state NUP officials have left an information void and have not actively sought solutions. They reminded the Governor of his campaign commitment to settle pension and gratuity arrears by December 31, 2023.
Kanu mentioned that, despite the state government's assertion that pensions and gratuities have been fully paid, only part of the pensions were disbursed, and gratuities from the last 20 years remain unpaid.
The group praised Governor Otti for his ongoing projects across the state, they also recognized that his administration has made pension payments more consistent.
The pensioners also noted that the Memorandum of Agreement between the state government and the NUP specified that only a portion of the arrears would be paid, with the remaining amount forfeited. They expressed their dismay stating that such agreement left them mourning.
“We cried out to God in despair, unable to fathom losing the rewards of our 35 years of service or reaching age 60. This situation has further deteriorated the already fragile health of many pensioners.”
They also claimed there were discrepancies in pension and gratuity payments.
The group noted, “The minutes from the expanded NUP meeting mentioned in the MoA did not address gratuity at all, focusing solely on pension arrears. The MoA remains undisclosed to our members, with neither the state government nor NUP officials releasing its details.” They condemned the MoA as “illegal, exploitative, and unconscionable,” .
“Pension and gratuity are statutory and personal entitlements for each pensioner. No one has the authority to negotiate them away on behalf of any pensioner.”
“It is baffling how the state government could negotiate with vulnerable pensioners who have been deprived and impoverished for years. Our Forum has decided not to confront the government but to respectfully request fairness.”
They claimed not being given the freedom to negotiate or agree to the MoA, calling it “exploitative and unjust”.
The group argued that they have sought intervention from various individuals, including Peter Obi, the governor’s wife, church leaders, and state officials.
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They appealed to the Governor, to find it imperative to protect vulnerable individuals, including pensioners.
“We urge him to review and revoke the MoA and ensure pensioners receive their rightful benefits.” They said
The Abia Government had previously stated that it had settled all pension arrears owed to retired civil servants by past administrations.
The Governor had stated that all the pensions and arrears of about 12,500 retirees were cleared with over N9billion.
