Pensioners Berate States Over Funds Diversion

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) Rivers State Chapter, has called for the appropriate use of the recently released Paris Club refund to states by the Federal Government.
Chairman of the union in Rivers State, Mr Festus Abibo, who made the call in Port Harcourt shortly after a zonal meeting of the union, applauded President Muhammadu Buhari for ordering the use of part of the Paris Club refund to state governments for payment of outstanding  salaries and pensions.
Abibo, appealed to the president to prevail on the state governors to employ the funds for the purpose they were released and not divert same for personal uses.
He used the opportunity to call on state governments to carry out biometric verification of retirees from 2014-2016 with a view to paying up their gratuities and entitlements  early.
The Rivers NUP boss, lamented that, retirees from 2014 to date had been undergoing financial difficulties.
He therefore, appealed to the relevant authorities to speedily address the documentation matters of retirees from 2014 to date and ensure commencement of payments to alleviate the sufferings of these senior citizens of Nigeria.

Tonye Nria-Dappa