Pensioners who worked in the Federal Government-owned Delta Steel Company (DSC), Delta State, have threatened to take to the streets to protest against the non-payment of the nine years pension arrears and what they termed “unjust underpayment” by the Pension Transition and Administration Department (PTAD).

The DSC pensioners under the aegis of Association of Iron and Steel Retired Staff of Nigeria, DSC branch, in a petition to Hon Francis Ejiroghene Waive, member representing Ughelli North, Ughelli South and Udu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, decried the poor treatment meted out to them by the Federal Government.

In the petition which was signed by Oserohwovo Thomas, Branch Chairman and Okpeh Okari, Secretary, the pensioners disclosed that at least five pensioners die on a weekly base, because they cannot afford basic food, let alone being able to buy drugs when they fall sick.

They called on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, commence payment of their nine years arrears and also put a machinery in place to harmonise the pension benefits of DSC retirees with those of Ajaokuta Company, Itakpe, Jos, Oshogbo, Katsina Rolling Mills, NMDC, MTI and Onitsha NIOMCO.

According to them, “DSC pensioners worked under temperatures of 1,500-1,700 degree centigrade to produce Steel products and following the constant exposure over the years is today manifesting negatively on the health of the pensioners.

“Some of our pensioners receive as low as N2,000 as pension per month, while those in level 14 officer, that is like an Assistant Director cadre in the Ministry will be earning a pension of N16,000 per month, and this is due largely by wrong computation by PTAD.”

Also peaking to newsmen after a meeting with Hon Waive, the President, Steel Town Community, Udu, Delta State, Mr Simeon Segba, called for a stakeholders meeting between them, PTAD, the Head of Service, Salary and Wages Commission, and the Federal Ministry Power.

He said: “We are not asking for what is not our right, we are asking for what is our right, and we have the documents to that effect, the submission I gave to Hon. Francis Waive, all the documents are attached and the day they call for that important meeting it will be better for all of us.

“If the National Assembly will not intervene and the President does not intervene, we will be forced to call out over 20,000 residents in that town to come out; we are not afraid.

“I am about 70; I am old enough because even if you want to detain me because I am asking for the right of my people, I am not afraid. So the right thing should be done. We need these arrears and in that meeting if we present all our case before the parties, they will see the truth and let them do what is right, that all we are asking for, we are not violent.”

In his response, Hon Waive commended the pensioners for taking the path of dialogue. He urged them to remain calm and peaceful. He assured them that he will take up their case to appropriate authorities and ensure that their concerns are addressed.