By Anne Azuka
As the economic situation in Nigeria bites harder, Delta State retirees have urged the state governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa to have a change of mind and fully implement the arrears of the 33% pension increase awarded to them in 2010.
At a meeting of the retirees under the aegis of Defined Benefits Scheme(DBS) Pensioners held in Asaba on Tuesday, the senior citizens said the award which took effect from July 2010 was implemented in October 2019 with an outstanding of 99 months still hanging to be paid.
A press statement signed by the Chairman of the group, Chief Silver Savbede said: “The 33%pension increase was granted to all Pensioners across board nationwide irrespective of dates of retirement and salary grade level.
“But in Delta state, the government only paid Pensioners who retired before 2000 the 33% and Pensioners who retired after 2000 on salary grade level 01-6 were paid 20% while those on salary grade 07-16 were paid 15%.”
The Pensioners also demanded the payment of consequential adjustment of Pensioners monthly pay occasioned by the N30,000 minimum wage awarded to serving workers with arrears of 54 months.
The chairman therefore, demanded the payment of the arrears, saying” the Pensioners also buy in the same market with other people”.
