Obi Pays N7.4bn Pensions’ Arrears

Gov. Peter Obi of Anambra says his administration has paid the N7.4 billion arrears owed pensioners in the state since 1996.

Obi said this in Awka last Thursday while presenting N250 million cheques to local government pensioners.

“It is a crime and mortal sin for those in authority to owe pensioners who have contributed to the building of society,’’ he said.

Obi, who expressed regrets at the development, apologised to the pensioners for the shabby way they had been treated in the past.

He pledged that the state government would continue to pay pensioners regularly.

“ The society is duty-bound to take care of those that contributed in its building, especially in old age, when they have fewer opportunities available to them,” he said.

He also said the state government had begun the payment of the arrears remitted by the Federal Government which was not accounted for.

Earlier, the state’s Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Dubem Obaze, said the administration had liquidated the N7.4 billion pension arrears.

In a remark, one of the pensioners, Chief Godson Ezeanyanwu, said Obi had demonstrated that pensioners were “living spring and not dead wood” as they were called in the past.