Restore Normalcy In Pension Process, NUP Tells Okorocha

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Imo State chapter, has called on Governor Rochas Okorocha, to restore normalcy in pension administration in the state.
Chairman of the union, Chief Gideon Ezeji, made the call while addressing protesting pensioners at Wethdral Road Roundabout, in front of Government House Owerri, last Thursday.
It would be recalled that some angry pensioners had carried placards with inscriptions: “Corrupt man cannot fight corruption,” Okorocha pay us our 100% arrears, of pension, “Imo pensioners cannot be forced to accept 40% of their accumulated pension arrears”, among others.
Ezeji faulted the governor for assigning political appointees to handle pension administration, saying that the practice had led to a lot of problems for pensioners in Imo.
“The office of Accountant-General of the state should be used in the payment of civil service pensioners, while the office of the Chairman, Local Government Pension Board should oversee the payment of local government pensioners and retired school teachers,” he said.
He said that this was necessary to end current confusion in the system.
The chairman also said that the union would not accept any review and fixing of new pension rates as planned by the governor.
Ezeji stressed that “pension matters are done by the Federal Government, doing otherwise will amount to appropriating federal powers.”
Also speaking, the state Secretary, Association of retired Permanent Secretaries, Chief Fabian Agba, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene and stop the “rough-handling of pensioners” in Imo.
“Imo State is an integral part of Nigeria and the way Okorocha is carrying on, especially rough-handling of pensioners and pension affairs which is in the Exclusive List of our Constitution, shows the governor no longer has respect for the Constitution of the land,” he said.
Chairman of IBC FM Owerri retirees, Mr Chidi Madu, regretted that pensioners of the station were owed 44 months arrears, while the radio station continue to propagate what he termed “falsehood” to the people.
“It is painful that IBC is still telling the masses that Imo pensioners have been paid when we in IBC are owed 44 months arrears as at December , 2016,” he said.