Children playing at a Recreation Centre in Port Harcourt on Monday as part of the Christmas festivities

The Bayelsa State
chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) last Wednesday brought activities along Mbiama/Yenagoa Road to a standstill as they protested  non-payment of their pensions and gratuities, for the past four months.
This was happening at a time the State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson was busy on live interview on radio and television explaining why he was a better choice than his APC opponent in the forthcoming governorship rerun in the State.
The pensioners, staged a peaceful  march to the Government House with placards and urged the state government  to settle the four months arrears without further delay as they were dying in starvation with their dependents.
The pensioners, most of them aged and looking frail, began the demonstration from St. Peter’s Primary School, Ovom, with placards bearing various inscriptions to drive home their demand.
“Some of the inscriptions read, ‘Pensioners Are Dying Everyday,’ ‘Please, Pay Us Our Gratuities,’ ‘Dickson, Be Good To Pensioners’ among others.
The union’s Caretaker Committee Chairman, Mr Bodi Amarah, said the protest was to draw government’s attention in order to settle their four months pension arrears.
“We are not protesting for disorder but all we want from Bayelsa government is to pay us our four months arrears; we have served the state and retired after 35 years.
“Most of us do not have any other work doing for a livelihood; our children’s school fees are from that stipend, so, we want the state government to pay us.
“Our members are dying every day because the money is not regular; we have been denied our gratuity and harmonisation,” he said.
Mr Tarigboro Happy-John, who retired as Director of Primary Research, Post Primary Schools Board in 2009, said the protest was necessary, urging the state government to pay them.
“Let the government pay us our money, we were paid last in August and what we are crying for now is four months arrears; let the benefits of our late colleagues be paid because we have done our 35 years meritorious service.
“Our pension is not negotiable or used for politics; let it be paid to us to enable us feed our families.”
Mr Talford Ongolo, Chief of Staff, Bayelsa State Government House, who spoke on behalf of the state Governor, Seriake Dickson, said they were ready to address the matter.
According to Ongolo, the protest calls for no alarm; we are urging you to maintain peace and order for the betterment of the state.
“We want you to organise yourselves and let us go to a round table discussion because settling issues needs to be on dialogue,” he said.

Fyneface Aaron, Yenagoa