68 Delta retirees die over unpaid pension

By Amaechi Okwara
Asaba

Delta state Association of Contributory Retirees (ACR) yesterday protested over the non-payment of their pension.
The retirees numbering over 500 protested to the House of Assembly and Government House to make their stand known to the authorities.
ACR raised an alarm during the protest that over 68 retirees have lost their lives as a result of non-payment of pension since 2012.
The rally Committee Chairman, Comrade Gabriel Aduwa, said the state government should revert to pay as you go pension scheme.
According to him, “retirees are being sent to the early graves for non-payment of their benefits; we are dying of hunger; we cannot pay our house rent or pay our children school fees.”
Comrade Aduwa said the state government should equally suspend the implementation of the contributory pension scheme in the state public service until all areas of frictions due to none payment of retirement benefits to retirees with NLC, JNC and ACR.

He said retirees had served the state meritoriously for 35 years and should not be treated outcast, saying that two to four years after retirement no pension no gratuity.
However, the Committee Chairman said if by June 30, the state government refused to reach an agreement with NLC, joint Negotiation Council and ACR on the implementation of State Contributory Pension scheme, then ACR would mobilise all state workers and labour union to
carry out industrial action against the state government.
“Release the 10% of Delta state Government Pension Contributions valued at N18 billion as at November 28, 2014 as stated by former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan tosState Pension Bureau to settle gratuities, pensions and harmonisation arrears to paid Contributory Retirees.”