Pensioners give Obaseki 14-day ultimatum to pay arrears

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

Aggrieved members of the National Union of Pensioners (NUP), Edo state have issued a 14-day ultimatum to the state government to resolve all outstanding pension issues.
The chairman of NUP, Mr. Gabriel Osemwenkhai, said pensioners will resume its street protest which they suspended few months ago if the government fails to respond to their plight.
The pensioners demands include payment of outstanding pensions arrears, gratuities for 2012/2013 retirees and harmonization allowances which the government were yet to implement.
Osemwenkhai who disclosed this at a meeting with members of the union at Teachers’ house yesterday in Benin, confirmed the death of two of its members recently.
While appealing to the state governor, Godwin Obaseki to take urgent steps to address the issues, said: “one slumped and died recently while walking in the street, while the second one slipped into the well in front of his house because of frustration”.
Recalled that the state government Committee to look into pensioners issues including batch 22 pensioners have not screened since 2011 and were yet to be paid.
Mrs. Aiguobarueghian Irene, retired Secondary school teacher in 2014, said the state government made payment for batch 40 last week, excluding batches 41 to 59 pensioners.
She said since the horse-trading begun between pensioners and the government, the Committee meant last in January 2018.
Aiguobarueghian also revealed that some Local government staff, primary and Secondary schools teachers who retired in 2008 till date.
Reverend Friday Amadi, retired Secondary school teacher, said: “I was among the retirees who were screened in April 10, 2017. As it were before, when you are screened and my yellow card (evidence of authorization to pay) was collected with a pledge to pay within one week.”