Bayelsa guber: We’ll support candidate with ears on our demands – Pensioners

Bayelsa State Pensioners Association (BPA) has said only candidate that will attend to their demands will have their votes in the forthcoming governorship election.

They also stated that the present government has betrayed them, by not paying its gratuity, minimum wage arrears, arbitrary deductions, reduction of grade levels and steps and non harmonisation of pensioners.

The BPA chairman, Mr Alabo Bodi-Amara who stated this at a press conference held  at Ernest Ikoli Press Centre, Yenagoa said, one of the sad realities pensioners have been subjected to, for almost eight years, is the non-payment of gratuity, being a welfare package rightly paid every retiree to meet the numerous socioeconomic obligations after meritorious service.

“It is obvious that the government’s refusal to pay gratuity is a deliberate attempt to impoverish senior citizens whose crime is clearly that we diligently served the state.

” Following the implementation of  N18,000.00 minimum wage many years ago, those in active service received payment of salary arrears, whereas pensioners, most especially teachers who were in active service and those in retirement that should equally benefit from the pay increment, have been neglected and we are yet to receive our six months arrears.

“Let it be on record that we have heard endless promises on these issues but unfortunately, promises have never put food on our tables, nor paid our rents, children’s fees, nor any other responsibilities. We, therefore, demand payment of the arrears without further delay.

”It is common knowledge that what we receive as monthly take-home does not take us home in the actual sense, it rather takes us into indebtedness, resulting in misery and pain. In spite of this, without due consultations, government is unilaterally and arbitrarily deduct our monthly payment for the Bayelsa state Health Insurance Scheme and the State Education Trust Fund.

“We make bold to say, as responsible reasoning in governance demands in line with best global practices, it is government’s obligation to care for her senior citizens as against forcefully taking monies of the aged to fund state responsibilities. Hence, we demand a stop to the deduction of pensioner’s monies to fund these schemes as the deductions are illegal and unjust.

“We wish to express our displeasure over the reduction of pensioners’ grade levels and steps by the government to further compound the already existing financial pains of Bayelsa pensioners,” Bodi-Amara stated.

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