By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
Pensioners in Kogi state have lamented over the persistent percentage payment of monthly pensions to Local Government retirees and the Irregular payment of gratuity by the State Government.
The retirees who cried out during this year’s ‘Pensioners day celebration’ said the government has failed to harmonize all pensioners both state and local government after the 2003 harmonization exercise.
The State chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, (NUP), Engr. Clement Ohida in a statement on Friday in Lokoja, said retirees in the state are still being faced with challenges of none implementation of minimum pension for retired senior citizens and lack good health scheme for all categories of pensioners.
He appealed to pensioners in the state to remain calm and prayerful for God to touch the heart of Leaders in government to pay listening ears to the yearnings of Retirees in the state.
While assuring that the present executive will leave no stone unturned to reach a comfortable zone for pensioners, Ohida expressed optimism that through continuous unity of purpose, the story of retired citizens will change for better in Kogi state.
“While we commend the State Governments efforts at meeting the benefits of the state retirees, we wish to draw the attention of the government to the plight of the numerous Local Government Retirees including the Teaching and non Teaching staff of Basic Education schools who retired after meritorious service to the nation.”
He said since 2001, pensioners all over the country gather together to evaluate the events of the past, most especially, the challenges, achievement, and later come to re-strategise with a view to tackling the challenges and purposefully resolve to address them.
Recalled that Pensioners’ day celebration which is observed annually on 11th December was introduced by then Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC ), President Comrade Adam Oshomole.
It was also gathered that it is a day of blowing the trumpet of government if they so deserved or act otherwise depending on which side of the divides pensioners find themselves.
