Unpaid Arrears: PHCN Pensioners Demand President’s Intervention

As pensioners be
moan their plights across the country, retirees of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), have called on President Goodluck Jonathan, to urgently intervene in their predication before it snowballs into more dangerous situations.
The Chairman of the PHCN Retired Staff, Mr Lawrence Aremo, made the call recently in Lagos, during a protest by the group.
The Tide learnt that the pensioners, had in the past two weeks, protested over their unpaid arrears and other entitlements.
In the protest, the pensioners decried non-payment of their accumulated pension benefits and urged the president to wade into the matter.
They insisted that President Jonathan should prevail on the National Electricity Liability Management Company (NELMCO), the Accountant General of the Federation and others as to settle their demands.
Some of the placards they carried have some inscriptions like “Finance Minister, where is our money, Agbogun and NELMCO pay PHCN Pensioners our entitlement,” among others.
Aremo, bemoaned the issue of non payment of their benefits for the past four months, saying that hardship was tightening its grip on them.
He listed some of the entitlements to include gratuities, Electricity rebate arrears, which he said has lasted for about four years now.
He frowned at the unfulfilled promises made by concerned authorities, adding that government at all levels must treat pensioners with regard.
The Tide was further told that the fight may extend to Port Harcourt before the end of October, unless the retirees were approached earlier on the issue.