“Have Mercy And Show Humanity” — Pensioners Beg Otti

Retired Civil servants in Abia State have called on the state Governor, Alex Otti to as a matter of urgency deliver on his campaign promise of paying off arrears of pensions and gratuity, owed them.

The senior citizens under the aegis of Abia Pensioners Forum made the call on Monday during a press conference in Umuahia.

Speaking, the retirees urged the governor to muster the political will to pay their outstanding benefits.

In an emotionally laden address, the Pensioners regretted that over three years into the administration of Governor Otti, the government is still delaying the payment.

“As stated in our last News Commentary, the government should muster “the political will to pay this retirement benefits.”

“It is a sad commentary that more than three years of the present administration, these issues have continued to linger and reverberate for failure to address them. Invariably, the trust and confidence of pensioners have seriously eroded as a result.”

The retirees posited that “fulfilment of a promise is the work of salvation”. They argued that further delay would further devalue what they described as “already devalued retirement benefits”.

They pointed out that many pensioners have died without receiving these benefits, adding that those who are still alive need the payment to feed, buy drugs, and attend to other subsisting needs and health challenges.

They described as “ironic and injustice”, the payment of former local government councilors who served only two years whereas, those who gave thirty five years of their youthful lives, “are treated with levity, disdain and ignominy”.

Referencing an open letter the governor wrote to the then governor of the state, Okezie Ikpeazu in 2018, the senior citizens reminded Governor Otti of his own exact words in the said letter the effect of his failure to fulfill his own promise to clear the arrears when elected.

“You can see that the spiral effect of your government failure to pay Abia workers and pensioners their salaries and pension arrears is horrendous and far reaching, therefore I am appealing to you to have mercy on Abia workers and show humanity.”

They appealed to the governor to as well “have mercy and show humanity”, urging the governor to put himself in their position and determine if he would accept and enjoy the same treatment as currently meted out to them.

They clarified that what the administration of Governor Otti paid in March 2024 was the arrears owed by him upon assuming office in June 2023 when the government paid half of their monthly pension.

They challenged the governor to set up a judicial panel of inquiry to verify the alleged payment, adding that any pensioner who made false claims in this regard would go to jail.

They concluded by saying that “It is he who is alive who can appreciate and enjoy the good infrastructure the governor is putting in place.”