Following the set up of a special committee on payment of pensions in the state by the Imo Government, Pensioners in the State have demanded for urgent payment of three months pensions or mass deaths shall be witnessed.
It would be recalled that the State Government committee under a retired Head of Service, Evans C Uzokwe among other responsibilities has about three months to submit their positions.
But the pensioners are saying that before the three months would elapse, majority of them may die if they are not paid.
The retirees under the Nigeria Union of Pensioners platform in a letter addressed to the governor through the office of the State Secretary demanded for urgent payment of three months pension.
According to the pensioners in a statement signed by Evang Livinus Ashiegbu (Secretary) Comrade A.C Okonya, (Acting Chairman) and Sir J. B Ugochukwu (Council Member):
“At the last State Executive Council meeting of Nigeria Union of Pensioners comprising of delegates from the 27 Local Government Area chapters of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, held on Thursday, 27th June 2019 the Council received the news of the setting up of a 13- man committee on the payment of Pensions in Imo State with mixed feelings. However the Council welcomes the committee and commended His Excellency for setting up the committee with a view to having an indebt and through resolution of the nagging pension issues in the State.
“The Imo State Pensioners see your Excellency as their own Nehemiah from the Almighty God sent to rebuild the devastations and ruins by the past mal-administration of Rochas Okorocha that are still taking their heavy death tolls on the help-less Imo Pensioners.
“The Imo pensioners are strongly relying on the good-will of his Excellency, the honor and compassion showed to pensioners before and after His Excellency’s election campaign visits to the Nigeria Union of Pensioners and her members
“They are also relying on the firm promise made by his Excellency during the visit of the Organized Labour lead by Comrade Austin Chilakpo at your villa at Owerri -Viz:
“That if you entered Government House of Imo State and found a kobo in the Treasury, that you will use it to make Imo pensioners smile for once”
“The Council felt that to wait for another three months without pensions will not only be disastrous but deadly to the pensioners.
“The Imo State Course of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners is therefore appealing to His Excellency to give approval for the payment of at least 3 months pensions from the outstanding balance of over three billion (#3B)Paris Club Refund that is domiciled with the Access Bank by the Rochas Okorochas administration while the committee continues with its assignment.
“Your Excellency need not be reminded that the hopes and expectations of Imo Pensioners from Your Excellency are very high, especially when they remember that the “VAMPIRE” who destroyed Imo State paid Imo Pensioners 3 months pensions on 11th June 2011 after he was sworn in on 29th May 2018 as Governor.
Here below is the Resolution of the Imo State Council of NUP of 27th June 2019 which states that
“The Imo State Council accepted the setting up of a 13-man Committee including the State Secretary of the NUP and RESOLVED that the Imo State Government should pay as a matter of urgency at least three months pensions from the balance of the five Billion Naira (#5B) Paris Club Refund to avoid further mass death of Imo State Pensioners.
“We write to your Excellency to be “God’s Vessel’ to answer our Lord’s Prayer: “Give us this day our daily bread” before your fathers and mothers die off.
