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From Felix Ikem, Nsukka
The Forum of Local Government and Primary School Pensioners (FLGPSP), Enugu State has given Nsukka, Eziagu, Nkanu East, Udi and Igbo-eze South Local Government chairmen of the state one week ultimatum to pay them their pension arrears.
Comrade John Eze, the chairman of the group, said the ultimatum became necessary because the hardship their members were passing through is unbearable over the non-payment of One hundred and four million, one hundred and sixty five thousand, one hundred fifty four naira (N104,165,154:00)
Eze who addressed newsmen shortly after he led his members to submit a protest letter to Nsukka LG chairman, Hon. Cosmas Ugweze, Wednesday, in Nsukka said that the affected five LG has failed to remit their statutory contribution to the State Pension Board a situation that delayed their payment.
He listed the amount each local government were owing as follows; Nsukka LG N55,001,819:90k, Eziagu LG N18,954,880, Nkanu East N16,885,977:38k, Udi LG N10,315,039:49k and Igbo-eze South N3,057,446:22k.
“We are in Nsukka Local Government to submit our protest latter which contains the one week ultimatum for the LG to pay our members their pension and the arrears without further delay.
“The last time our members received their pension in Nsukka LG was in December 2019 and the story is almost the same in the other four local governments.
“Our members in these five local government are passing through hell on daily basis, some of us are sick and cannot afford to pay hospital bill.
“We have resolved that a grace of one week be given to the five defaulting LGs to pay the said amount or we will relocate to the council areas and remain there until we are paid,” he said.
Eze however, called for the intervention of the state governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, even as he described the nonremittance of the pension fund as inhuman and an embarrassment to the affected local government.
“The forum is appealing to Governor Ugwianyi to prevail on the chairmen of the affected LGs to send arrears of their statutory contributions to pension board so that our members will be paid.
“Its unfair and inhuman to owe pensioners who dedicated much of their time and energy to serve their fatherland.
“The same time, owing pensioners attracts embarrassment to the affected local governments because they receives federal allocation every month without remitting fund to pension board,” he said.
The FLGPSP chairman commended other local government chairmen in the state for their prompt remittance of the pension fund, he urged them to keep it up.
He equally disclosed the forum had reported the issue to the Chairman of Udenu LG Council Mr. Solomon Onah who is also the chairman of Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Enugu State Chapter who pleaded with them to give him time to invite the affected chairmen to a meeting so as to resolve the issue.
