Hundreds of pensioners on Monday defied the heavy rain and took to the streets of Benin, the Edo state capital, to protest non-payment of arrears of pension ranging from 10 to 42 months.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the pensioners, armed with placards of various inscriptions, took their protests to the Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Benin.

A Spokesman of the pensioners, Mr Gabriel Osemwenkhai, told newsmen that the pensioners in the state had been experiencing hard times over the non-payment of their pension and gratuity by the government. He said that some pensioners had died as a result of hardship. Osemwenkhai said pensioners involved comprised public servants, who retired in 2011 and owed by the state government.

The spokesman alleged that the state government had refused to commence payment of the pension with effect from the date of retirement as stipulated in the Civil Service Pension Law. He said that the government’s refusal to adhere to pension laws had led to a backlog of arrears owed to pensioners in Edo. Osemwenkhai said that their problem was further compounded by the dissolution of the State Pension Board.

“At the moment, public servants retiring after the dissolution of the Pension Board are again stranded due to government’s delay in processing their retirement papers; more than six months after their names have been removed from the payroll. “Rather than creating avenue for retirees to process their pension papers, government has left this category of senior citizens in limbo,“ he said.

The Chairman, NUJ, Edo Council, Mr Roland Osakue, said the union shared the pains and challenges of pensioners. He appealed to the pensioners to remain peaceful in their protest, promising that members of the NUJ would use their various media outfits to let the authority know their plight.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/edo-pensioners-defy-rain-protest-non-payment-of-gratuities-pension-arrears/

Nice

Please don't tell me they will still vote APC..

I pity with them though

Put the blame on NDA they messed up the economy in the name of struggle

government should pay or oshomole should resign.

Bad govt.
Tufiakwa
APC Edo can go an' die

oshiomole massively using Edo state money to campaign in order to cover his track of looting.

The most corrupt governor Edo has ever produced is Oshiomole..... My friend's father is a local government chairman in Edo. When the son complained to me I cried.

He uses these chairmen, give them there basic salary and calculate that of the teachers. The rest government workers are history to him. No security vote, no allocation and other benefits. If you dear question him you are sacked. He tells them they don't need to work and fulfil the electoral promise that his name has covered them as far they are in APC. He borrowed billions of dollars are nothing to show for that huge amount instead keep deceiving people with ring road and airport road dualization.

Only God knows what happened to the Oshiomole of old NLC.....

My Governor please try to clear off salaries before you leave the seat to avoid some story the will touch in future

martha89:
Please don't tell me they will still vote APC..

hello ma'am I saw ya PM buh u can holla on 08077544853...08115200788

martha89:
Please don't tell me they will still vote APC..

Martha, boudiaye?

NextGovernor:
The most corrupt governor Edo has ever produced is Oshiomole..... My friend's father is a local government chairman in Edo. When the son complained to me I cried.

He uses these chairmen, give them there basic salary and calculate that of the teachers. The rest government workers are history to him. No security vote, no allocation and other benefits. If you dear question him you are sacked. He tells them they don't need to work and fulfil the electoral promise that his name has covered them as far they are in APC. He borrowed billions of dollars are nothing to show for that huge amount instead keep deceiving people with ring road and airport road dualization.

Only God knows what happened to the Oshiomole of old NLC.....

Big bro, how far na?

KINGinVAHALA:

Big bro, how far na?

Bro, to be honest, I don't know how this Mr Nairaland works. When are we voting and how?

PureWays:
Bro, to be honest, I don't know how this Mr Nairaland works. When are we voting and how?

Awwww, boss, OK bro, please are you on whatsapp or bbm?