The pensioners’ union in Abia State, Nigeria, is urging the state government to reexamine the agreement on pension arrears and gratuities. The union emphasized that there was no discussion about forfeiting their entitlements, including gratuities. While acknowledging the current governor’s efforts in clearing pension arrears from June 2023 to March 2024, the union highlighted that 45 months of outstanding pension arrears from the previous administration are still unresolved.
Despite recognizing the governor’s consistent monthly pension payments, the union criticized the unilateral nature of the agreement, attributing it to misguided recommendations from government officials. The union is calling for a thorough review of the Memorandum of Agreement, particularly focusing on specific sections influenced by state agents.
The union clarified that the current administration has yet to address the 45 months of pension arrears left over from the previous government. They expressed concerns over the ambiguity surrounding certain payments made by the governor, which were not discussed with the union beforehand.
Moreover, the union disputed the governor’s claim of having cleared a decade of pension arrears, stating that such assertions lack merit within the union. The statement reflects ongoing discontent among pensioners regarding the handling of their payments and emphasizes the need for a transparent and collaborative approach to resolving outstanding arrears and gratuities.