By Emma Una

CALABAR—MRS. Philomena  Monkom, former Permanent Secretary in Cross River State Governor’ s Office  was among hundreds of retired civil servants in the  state who took to the streets, yesterday, to protest non-payment of their gratuity several years after they left service.

The retirees who carried placards with various inscriptions, lamented that since 2012, the state has not released funds for the payment of gratuity to those who had retired from service in the state while the number of those  yet to be paid keeps increasing and same is making it difficult  for the government to pay.

The placards had inscriptions such as, “Our gratuity is long overdue;” “The blood of deceased retirees will be on the heads of those who refused to pay them their gratuity;”  “Pay us our gratuity while we are alive;”  “Pay politicians their money only after you have paid us our gratuity,” among others.

Mrs Monkom told Vanguard that she retired since 2014 after 35 years of meritorious service and is yet to be paid her gratuity which was the reason she joined the protest.

“I have retired since 2014 and despite working right there in Governor’s Office, I am yet to be paid my gratuity. That is why I am here protesting with my fellow retirees,”  she stated.

According to her, she served the state diligently and honestly for 35 years and was expecting to be paid within a few months of her retirement but  that has not been done for two years now and appealed that something be done by the state governor in that regard soon,  as  many  retirees are dying.

“Only recently, some of my friends passed on while waiting to be paid and with the state of things now in the country, surviving without money is difficult which is the reason we are appealing that we should be settled,” she added.

Another retiree, Mr Paul Idagu, said since 2012 when he retired, he has been hoping and praying that God should touch the hearts of those responsible for the payment but his prayers have not yielded any fruits.

“As you look at me now, do I look like someone who is doing well, both in health and socially?  I cannot afford to meet my basic needs and my children’s educational demands. Please, they should pay us.”

Mr Effiong Ita Imoh, the Special Adviser to governor Ben Ayade on Labour, while reacting to the protest,  said plans were being made to pay the retirees their gratuity and appealed for calm.

“I am surprised that they have taken to the streets without my notice because we held several meetings with them and the governor has said payment of gratuity should be top on the list of items to be addressed with the Paris Club money recently sent to the state.”

Imoh, who said he too is a retiree and has not been paid, stated that for money to be paid, it has to undergo some processes  which was the reason for the delay in the payment.