The Benue State government yesterday said that it inherited a whooping N163.7 billion as pension arrears and gratuity from the Chief Samuel Ortom’s administration.
A breakdown of the arrears shows that state pensioners were owed 42 months while state pensioners were owed 96 months from the State.
The state’s Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Barr. Fidelis Mnyim disclosed this during a stakeholders meeting with pensioners in Makurdi, the state capital.
The Commissioner who appealed to pensioners in the state to withdraw all cases from court, also pleaded with those who may be nursing ideas of dragging the state government to court to stop henceforth.
He explained that some of the court cases resorted to consent judgement and subsequent garnishee orders, adding that Governor Alia has been faithful to his campaign promises to pensioners by paying their allowances on the 25th of every month, adding that those who had retired since the coming on board of the present administration had been paid their gratuities.
“Since the governor assumed office, our senior citizens have been receiving their allowances every month, those who retired since the coming of this government have all been paid their gratuities.
“All the calls to withdraw cases from court does not amount to threat but an appeal to all of us so as to allow the governor to concentrate on regular payment of pension allowances and gratuities.
“As at the time the governor assumed office, the state pensioners were being owed 42 months and local government 96 months all amounted toN163.7 billion.
The state chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Mr. Michael Vembe, in a remark, appreciated the governor for keeping to his campaign promises by paying pensions allowances promptly.
Mr. Vembe urged the governor to implement the consequential adjustment harmonization, give palliatives in either form of monetary or food items to pensioners and to give free treatment to pensioners at the primary health centers across the state.
He lamented that most of the pensioners still earn N2,000 monthly.
Another pensioner, Mr. Hyacinth Ikyaagba who spoke on behalf of retired permanent secretaries, blamed the immediate past administration for not prioritizing the welfare of pensioners.
This, he said, necessitated for some of the cases in court.
