By Henry Ibya, Makurdi
The Benue State Council of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners,NUP have given Benue State Government a 14 day ultimatum to clear 96 and 42 months arrears of pension and gratuities owed both Local Government and State Government pensioners it inherited from the past administration.
The ultimatum contained in a letter to governor Hyacinth Alia after the Unions State Executive Committee comprising State Administrative Committee and the 23 Local Government Executive Councils, the senior citizens cited several issues affecting pensioners including non- payment of pension arrears and gratuities inherited from past administration’s,non- payment of five months arrears to Local Government pensioners as Governor Alia directed on assumption of office,non- harmonization of pensions in the state to N32,000 minimum wage contrary to a circular with ref. NUP/ NHQ/08B/vol.v dated 22nd October 2024 as well as the non commencement of the N70,000 minimum wage currently approved through the 2024 minimum wage Act already implemented by the state government to civil servants among others.
The senior citizens position signed by the State Chairman,Mike Vembe and Secretary Saater Bur, released to journalists yesterday in Makurdi, demanded that Local Government pensioners also be paid the five months arrears as been paid to their state counterparts through the governor’s directive.
Vembe on behalf of the pensioners also requested that harmonization of pensions in Benue state be done as directed by the federal government that, minimum pension should be N32,000 and in accordance to the minimum wage Act of 2024.
The Benue NUP chairman who said the union would be left with no option rather than mobilizing its members including those in the 23 Local Government Areas of the state to Makurdi for a two day peaceful protest if their demands are not met before or on 21st January, appealed that Governor Alia expedite action to save pensioners who most are facing dehumanizing conditions.
He expressed optimism that government positive approach to the issue would ameliorate the plight of some pensioners in the state who some are receiving as low as N2,000,N7,000 as their monthly pensions while their contemporaries who have just retired on same grade level are receiving over N300,000 as monthly pensions respectively.
