PENSIONERS PROTEST NON-PAYMENT OF FIVE MONTHS ARREARS OF PENSIONS

Pensioners in Imo state have taken to the streets of Owerri the state capital to protest nonpayment of five months arrears of pensions owed them by the state government. Addressing newsmen at the entrance gate to the government house Owerri, the leader of the group and Chairman Pension Intervention Committee, Nigeria Union of Pensioners Imo state Comrade Iyk Ohaneje said his members could no longer bear the hardship arising from nonpayment of their entitlements.

He lamented that many retirees have died since February this year due to hardship and appealed to residents of the state to come to their rescue. Comrade Ohaneje accused the government of insensitivity to their plight noting that efforts at getting the attention of government officials yielded no result.

The Secretary to the State Government Chief Cosmas Iwu appealed to the protesters to exercise more patience as plans were on to commence payment of their pensions before the end of this week.

Chief Iwu attributed the delay to inconsistencies discovered in the documents inherited from the past administration but assured that the payment schedule has been harmonized to guarantee prompt payment of pensions.

Our Correspondent reports that the senior citizens barricaded roads leading to government house and other major roads in the town thereby obstructing vehicular traffic for hours.

 CHINAZO ILECHUKWU

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