Retired civil servants, on Monday, trooped to the streets of Umuahia, the Abia State capital, to protest the inability of the state government to pay their pension arrears.

The pensioners, who appeared in mournful attires, later took their protest to the Abia State Assembly where they met with the leadership and members.

They appealed to government to pay them their entitlements said to have accumulated to over 20 months.

A protester, who simply gave his name as George, said that they want the government to pay them.

“We are protesting for over 20 months outstanding pension arrears. We want the government to settle us, our children are out of school, and we can’t pay house rent, we can’t pay anything, we want all to be paid.

“It is 22 months now and this is aside what the past government owes us. This is what the present government owes us. If we add five months owed by the previous governor, Dr. T.A Orji, it will be making up to 27 months unpaid pension.

“We are not even talking about gratuity that has been stopped for over 19months. We are heading to the House of Assembly.”

The pensioners headed to the Abia state House of Assembly where they were addressed by Speaker Chinedum Orji.

Orji, who pleaded with the protesting pensioners to go back to their houses, assured that the lawmakers will ensure that they engage the State Executive Arm to see how they can ameliorate their sufferings.

He advised the pensioners not to allow themselves to be used by politicians to achieve their selfish purposes of destabilising the State and promised them that the issue of pension arrears will soon be a thing of the past. (The Nation)

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