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A group of retirees of the Abia State Hospitals Management Board under the aegis of Concerned Retired Staff of HMB, has called on Governor Alex Otti to offset their fifteen months pension arrears, stating that they are languishing in penury without money for ailing colleagues to seek medical attention and cater for their families.
During a peaceful protest at the premises of Spin FM Umuahia on Wednesday, spokesperson of the retirees, Comrade Ifeanyi Mbanefo, said they made several attempts to get the arrears owed them by the immediate past Governor of the State Okezie Ikpeazu cleared but their efforts did not yield any positive result.
He revealed that such efforts have also been intensified since the commencement of the administration of Governor Alex Otti, stressing that they have also received assurances that arrears owed them will be cleared, lamenting that till date, there has not been any light at the end of the tunnel.
Mbanefo said why they will continue to appeal to the Governor to offset the arrears is that the Governor had given assurances. He said they have written letters, channeled their issue to the appropriate quarters including sending a letter to the Head of Service, the Accountant-General, and the Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, regrettably, no effort has been made towards clearing the arrears.
According to him, the affected retirees performed same duties as their serving colleagues and deserve equal treatment, adding that many of them are bedridden and struggling to afford medication and other needs.
“I am speaking on behalf of the Concerned Retired Staff of HMB. The Governor sometime promised to pay the arrears of 15 months salary to HMB. The money in question, is for both the working and retired staff. We did the same work at the same time before we got retired. So, we are surprised to hear and see that the people still working are being paid, excluding all of us that are retired.
Mbanefo explained that thirty-one former staff are affected, with some owed between ten and fifteen months. “We are 31 in number. it is disturbing that after serving the State, when payment comes up, you are excluded. So, we are pleading with the Governor to use his good offices to intervene to see that this money is paid to us.
“This salary is 15 months, but he split it into 12 months, which he has completed last week for the people working but removed those of us that are retired.”
While appreciating Governor Otti for the giant strides his administration has recorded in the state in just two years , the retirees urged him to use his good office to ensure they are included in the payment exercise.
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