Benue Pensioners to hold protest Aug. 16
The Benue State Council of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners has given the state government up to Aug. 16 to pay them their entitlements or risk statewide protest.
The Union demanded that the state government pay all local government pensioners their three months pension arrears without delay.
In a notification issued on Tuesday and signed by the State Chairman, Michael Vembe and Secretary, Saater Bur, the pensioners also demanded that the government release N900 million monthly for the payment of local government pensioners.
They also want the government to start the payment of pension arrears and gratuities, place all retirees that have fully processed their papers on pension payroll this month, and pay pension within a month of a worker’s retirement from service.
They resolved that if the government fails to meet their demands, the Union will mobilise all pensioners in the state to protest on Wednesday.
While appreciating the government for paying three months’ pension to all state pensioners, the union lamented that only one month pension was paid to one third of local government pensioners.
The union said pensioners were most vulnerable due to age and health challenges and therefore deserves to be given priority in the distribution of fuel subsidy removal palliatives.
