Retirees Send SOS To Jonathan

Retired civil servants of the 82 Division, Nigerian Army have sent Save Our Soul (SOS) appeal to President Goodluck Jonathan to rescue them from hardship occasioned by non-payment of their gratuity and pension entitlements.

The retirees who disengaged from service between 2004 and 2007 lamented that after several verification exercises by the authorities concerned; they were yet to be paid their entitlements till date.

The retirees stormed The Tide office with a protest letter to the President where they argued that they worked for 35 years and retired meritoriously but regretted that five years after retirement, their dues were yet to be paid.

The protest letter which was signed by Anthony Ibanga, noted that hundreds of retirees have already died in the struggle to get their retirement benefits, but to no avail, and wondered why somebody should withhold their money unjustly.

Ibanga said the retirees, most of who worked and retired from Military Hospital Port Harcourt had gone to Enugu and Abuja verification and authentication  of the names, with assurances by the army authorities to pay but the payment never came till date.

According to him, the affected retirees were also screened at the Rivers  State Secretariat, yet no luck, adding that their hope now lies on President Jonathan to order for the immediate payment of their benefits.