Godwin Akor, Makurdi
New chairman of the Benue State Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Mr. Atsen Sambe, has appealed to Governor Samuel Ortom to approve the release of N2 billion for the part payment of gratuities owed pensioners.
Sambe made the request during a courtesy call on the governor at the Government House, in Makurdi.
He said gratuities owed pensioners have over the years increased to an alarming level while monthly pensions have accumulated for over 35 months.
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Sambe further appealed to the governor to pay two months arrears of pension every month until all the arrears were cleared and explained that problems of pensioners in the state have become compounded because of Coronavirus.
Responding, Governor Samuel Ortom said he would continue to pursue the release of the N42 billion balance of Federal Government’s bailout funds for Benue state and expressed the hope that when the money is released, he would accordingly settle the arrears of monthly pension and gratuities that had started accumulating before he came into office.
He appealed to pensioners to exercise patience in view of the COVID 19 pandemic and assured that efforts would be made towards attending to the issue of payment of monthly pension no matter how little.
It would be recalled that state and local government pensioners last year staged a peaceful protest to Government House and stayed there for one week.
When Governor Ortom addressed them, he assured that they would be paid any time workers were being paid monthly salary.
