Tuni Adedeji
The Imo State chapter of the Nigeria Union Pensioners (NUP) on Wenesday appealed to the state government to pay all pension arrears and gratuities owed them to “help change our pitiable living conditions”.
The pensioners, made this appeal through Dr. Josiah Ugochukwu, NUP Chairman Imo State while fielding questions from journalists shortly after a meeting with the 27LGA Chairmen of the association
The Pension boss said NUP is strongly in support of the 14day ultimatum by the organized labour and is therefore mobilizing all the pensioners of Imo State to protest against the government injustice.
The Chairman who regretted that up to date over ,60% of Imo Pensioners have not been receiving their pensions .
He said he is afraid that the Principal Officers to the governor such as Account General and the Head of Service are not given him professional advice on how to pay pensioners as and when do.
The Chairman said the number of incomplete payment from few Pensioners who are receiving Pensions are being owed from one to eight months as the case may be.
The Pension boss pointed out that all pensioners who were captured in December 2018 by the former administration but were not keyed into the system are owed from August 2019 to date.
According to him,”it’s astonishing that all Imo pensioners who have been retiring from January 2020 to date have not been paid a dime as pensions. The fourth and more devastating one on Imo State Pensioners is that pensioners who retired since 1998 have not been paid their gratuities.”
The Chairman raised eyebrows over on payment of pensioners in diaspora,saying non of them Has received a dime since May 2019 to date and they are restless.
He said the worst woe in the history of Trade Unionism is that this administration has not paid the Nigeria Union of Pensioners a kobo as “check-off-dues”.
He explained that checkoff dues is pensioners 19%which by the trade union act and Nigeria Union of Pensioners constitution is the legitimate payment to the NUP.
