J. E. Ihola On behalf of the above named pensioners, I humbly appeal to you to allow us a space in your newspaper to bring to the knowledge of the whole world that Edo State Local Government Pensioners are in hell on earth. This is because their pension arrears and gratuities are not paid to them and many of them have died while these benefits are pending payment.
Gratuities of local government pensioners were lastly paid in 2008. Bearing in mind that some of them receive the sum of N2,500 to N3,000 as monthly pension, in a situation where such a person is sick how does he foot the attendant medical bill if he goes to the hospital. Is such a person not in hell on earth, more so if he has no child who is employed and earn remuneration to take care of him. Unlike their state government pensioners, pension arrears of Local Government Retirees in Edo State are never, never paid.
Consequently upon no payment of a huge sum of pension arrears to the said pensioners, Local Government Council in Edo State contributed money from June 2018 to June 2019 so
that the proceed therefrom would be used to pay their pension arrears with effect from July 2019. Reliable sources have confirmed the proceeds therefrom to be N1.3 billion. Up till today the money is not spent for the purpose it is meant to serve. Meetings were held with the Edo State Commissioner for Local Government and the Edo State Head of Service and assurances were given to members of local government pensioners that they would be paid since July 2019, but to no avail up till today irrespective of the number of screening exercises.
Our state counterparts that is the State Government Retirees, thanks to Governor Godwin Obaseki, are paid their pension arrears. What offence did Local Government Pensioners commit to be treated like that? What has happened to the said N1.3 billion is a question the foetus in the womb is questioning. The foetus in the womb of retirement in Edo Local Government Service is waiting to hear the answer to this question.
While our state counterparts are paid their monthly pension either on 25th or 26th each month, Local Government Pensions are paid their monthly pension two or three weeks after month ending. If the able governor of Edo State is not aware, he should take note that Local Government Pensioners in Edo State are on ‘sit down look’ condition and that we want to be enjoying his administration as far as payment of our retirement benefits are concerned.
Finally, we know the governor appointed Commissioner for Local Government, hence local government pensioners in Edo State are begging our respected governor to give a directive to the commissioner to pay us our pension arrears, otherwise, when our state counterparts would be paid their gratuities, harmonization and fallout from N30,000 minimum wage, Local Government Pensioners in Edo State shall be likened to a person who went for snail hunting with a hollow bag.
Ihola writes on behalf of Edo State Local Government pensioners.
