….Governor has their interest at heart- Commissioner

By Chioma Onuegbu, Uyo

PENSIONERS under the auspices of retired Primary School Teachers and Next of kin of deceased teachers yesterday protested alleged nonpayment of their pension arrears and gratuity amounting to over N28.8bn.

The protesters who blocked the IBB way, Uyo
displayed placards with varying inscriptions such as “Accountant General pay us our pension arrears” “Emmanuel save our souls, the agonies of retired primary school teachers and widow/ next of Kin of deceased primary school teachers” etc.

In a statement jointly signed by Rev. (Dr.) Felix Cookey, Mr. Benjamin Benson, the chairman and Secretary of retired Primary School Teachers and next of kin of deceased teachers respectively, the group lamented that since after verification exercises only a paltry N600m has been released for payment of gratuity out of that of N28.8bn.

Speaking on unpaid pension the chairman
Cookey, said: “Early this year, the government carried out verification exercise to ascertain the actual number of retired teachers both living and late ones.

” In the course of the verification 3,503 teachers living were duly verified and 1479 late cases with the total number standing at 4982 with financial involvement of N28.8bn.

“Out of this number, only about 118 living teachers and 163 late cases have been paid within batch 1,2, 3 and the amount of money used is about N600m. This amount is grossly inadequate and going by the trend, it therefore means that the governor will not finish 2011 living and 2014 late cases.

“It is unthinkable that the governor can withold the only source of livelihood of these set of people who cry day in and day out since October, 2015. The 2015 retired teachers are owed ten months from July,2015- April 2016, whereas all documentation had since been completed and clearance issued before June,2015”.

READ ALSO: We won’t write another competency test, Kaduna teachers dare El-Rufai

When contacted the Commissioner of Information and Strategy Mr. Ini Ememobong said he was sure that the Pensioners themselves would acknowledge that the steps taken so far in recent times over the agitations of the primary School teachers was a demonstration of the governor’s concern towards their plight.

Ememobong noted that despite the harsh economic circumstances in the country, this was the first time the primary School teachers pensioners agitation has been able to carry out verification of the exact and intended beneficiaries.

“The verification of the claims to establish the actual amount outstanding and the actual people who are the beneficiaries, that was done by this government. And at least six over hundred million naira has been paid. The governor did that to provide succor to them,
despite this not being his primary obligation and responsibility.

“It is just like State Pensioners don’t go to the Federal Government if they are not paid. Government is committed to fulfilling those obligations, but you also know that primarily the financial related matters due to primary School teachers are the functions of the Local government administration.

“The governor in his magnanimity decided to intervene. It is pitiable that things have been this way, and it is not the fault of the governor. He only became governor in 2015, but this liability stretched way beyond the life of this administration.

“So our appeal is that they should exercise patience and continue to show cooperation to the Governor who has their best interest at heart. We will continue to take steps that would better lot”, Ememobong assured.