From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi.
AT least, two pensioners who joined thousands of others colleagues to protest the non payment of their 11 months pensions, yesterday, slumped at the premises of the Government House, Makurdi.
The old and feeble pensioners slumped after walking over one kilometre from the Wurukum Roundabout to the Government House.
They would have died but for the quick intervention of their other colleagues who rallied round and resuscitated them.
The angry pensioners carried placards bearing different inscriptions such as: “This is not the change we voted for”, “We cannot feed ourselves any longer”, “ Ortom fulfill your campaign promises”, “Our members are dying, our children are not attending school”, “We are unable to buy our drugs” among others.
State Chairman of Pensioners, Elder Peter Kyado told newsmen that they were protesting the 11 months pension owed them from November 2014 to April 2015, adding that it was the period every worker in the state, except pensioners, benefitted from the bailout funds from the Federal Ggovernment.
Elder Kyado, in his speech presented on his behalf by Mr. Peter Shawon, also demanded settlement of outstanding gratuities, increase in pension allowances that have not been harmonised since 2001, restoration of first line charge status for pensioners as promised by the government to ensure regular and timely payment of monthly pensions.
While regretting alleged neglect and abandonment of pensioners by the Samuel Ortom’s administration, Kyado listed challenges confronting the pensioners to include inability to meet the basic needs such as food, shelter, clothing and medication.
He lamented the continuous death of his colleagues as a result of non-payment of their pension, stressing that no week passes without news of the death of at least four or five pensioners across the 23 local government areas of the state.
“Pensioners live in penury without their entitlements and benefits being paid for several years. No explanations are forthcoming from the state government. Perhaps, we are powerless, fragile and now worthless. We consider this treatment unfortunate, unconstitutional and perhaps irresponsible.”
The pensioners maintained that they have severally written to Governor Ortom, the Head of Service, Mr. Adaikwu Inwanta as well as other relevant stakeholders to step into the issue of their unpaid benefits but regretted that nothing had been done to solve the problem.
The chairman wondered why the governor who professes Christianity decided to turn his back on them after they voted massively for him during the last general elections. He described as mere radio propaganda, claims by the state government that N400 million was released for monthly payment of pensioners entitlements.
At this point, Shawon became emotional and wept profusely while reading the Chairman’s speech, a development which also made many of his colleagues who listened to him to also join him as they wept profusely regretting their plight.