Jubilation in Abia as Gov Otti clears pension arrears
By Steve Oko
The decision of the Gov. Alex Otti-led administration to wipe out the backlog of pension arrears of Abia pensioners, has continued to generate reactions across the state and beyond.
Pension and workers’ salary arrears had been part of the major offenses held by the citizens against previous administration in the state.
When Otti, during his inaugural speech on May 29, 2023, announced that he would clear arrears of pension owed by his predecessors by December 2023, many actually did not believe him.
The fear that the promise could be one of the rhetorics typical of Nigerian politicians, somehow, appeared confirmed when by December 31, the Governor failed to live up to his promise.
Many pensioners and their families across the state were disappointed. Yes, the hope of those who had looked up to the largesse for their Christmas expensis was dashed.
Then, during his New Year statewide broadcast, the Governor quickly explained the reasons for the renege, blaming it on the enormity of the figure involved which was far beyond Government’s projections, plus the inability of Government and the leadership of pensioners to have a truce on payment modalities.
He set the first quarter of 2024 as the new deadline to defray the backlog of pension arrears. Yet some believed him with a pinch of salt.
Few hours to the end of the first quarter, Gov. Otti during his Easter message, again, lifted the hopes of pensioners, announcing that he had given approval for the defrayal of their accumulated pension arrears based on the agreement with their leadership.
As usual, the announcement was received with mixed reactions, but few hours later, there was an eruption of joy across the state as the senior citizens began to receive inspiring bank alerts on their phones.
There were viral videos of some of the pensioners pouring encomiums on the Governor for living up to his promise. The local radio stations have been awash with congratulatory messages commending the Governor’s magnanimity.
Otti had in a recent media parley, said N10 billion was earmarked for the clearance of pension arrears.
Meanwhile, there has been a controversy over what was exactly paid as some persons claimed that not the entire outstanding pension arrears was cleared.
Abia pensioners were owed for decades resulting into series of protests especially during the immediate past administration of Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu, but the cries of the senior citizens fell on deaf ears.
Clearing the air on the controversy, Commissioner for Finance, Mike Akpara, told Wawa News Global in an exclusive interview, that Government had fulfilled it’s part of the bargain with the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP).
He said the agreement was reached after months of negotiations, adding that the payment was “full and final”.
” In the banking sector, there is something we call full and final payment. It means that if you are owing a bank for instance, and it invites you and there was an agreement for you to pay a certain amount out of the debt, once you pay it, it becomes a full and final payment of the debt owed.
” Note that this decision didn’t come in a day. It took several months of negotiations with the NUP leadership. We had finally had an agreement, and we have paid.”
Shedding further light on what was paid, he said that the balance of half pension paid to some pensioners as was the practice when Otti came on board, was among the defrayed backlog.
The Commissioner further added that besides fulfilling the agreement, the Governor had further directed full payment of pension on the 28th of every month.
He equally added that a help desk had been set up at the Ministry of Finance to address complaints of omissions and those whose payments reversed, assuring that no genuine pensioner will be skipped.
On whether the state obtained any loan facility to liquidate the arrears, the Commissioner said the payment was done from Government savings.
” We did not borrow because of the financial prudence of Government; we paid from Government’s savings”.
Gov. Otti had also corroborated this when he said his administration had not borrowed any money so far although he admitted that he had received loan approvals , explaining that they are undergoing documentations.
When contacted however, the Publicity Secretary of NUP, Rev. Julius Ikpe, declined comments on whether or not there was an agreement.
He said they had protested to the Governor, and would not be making public comments on it until they heard from him.
Similarly, the NUP Chairman, Elder C.N Irondi declined comment on what exactly was agreed between Government and leadership of pensioners.
He said he would not comment on it for now , although he had earlier commended the Governor for the gesture, saying they are happy.
There are insinuations that NUP leadership had accepted to forfeit certain percentage of their total backlog as a condition for one swoop payment by Government, but later began to change its mind after it was allegedly prodded by some members of the opposition to back out.
It is, however, not clear what exactly was to be forfeited as both parties have remained taciturn on the percentage.
A retired Headmistress who spoke with Wawa News Global on the condition of anonymity said she was satisfied that she was still alive to receive her pension arrears, adding that she will never bother about whatever is the balance.
” My joy is that I’m still alive to get my pension arrears. I don’t want to know whether it was complete or incomplete, after all previous administrations that owed us could not pay, and some of our colleagues are dead. Otti has tried”.
Speaking with Wawa News Global on the matter, the Coordinator of Concerned Abia Pensioners, Elder Emeka Okezie, said pensioners were satisfied with the Governor’s benevolence.
Although the Leader of the pressure group which has been at the vanguard of agitation for pensioners’ welfare, accused NUP leadership of concealing the details of its truce with Government, he said their members had accepted the payment with gratitude.
He said that the joy of staying alive to receive backlog of their pension arrears had beclouded the balance of whatever was left, adding that they are willing to sacrifice the balance as part of their contribution to the on-going massive infrastructural development by the Governor.
Elder Okezie said they felt it was a dream when they received bank alert of their pension arrears, adding that their lives have been revived.
” After getting the alert of my March half pension. The next day I got another alert which read ‘outstanding pension’. I was full of joy. Others called me and said they got their own.
” We are happy. The bigger joy is that from April, we will start receiving our full pension by the 28 of every month.
” The Governor has fulfilled his promise and we are happy. Very soon we are going to wear our white attires and march round the streets of Umuahia to thank the Governor and his team for making us happy.
” He does not need to campaign for his second tenure in 2027. We will vote for him again as we did before, and he will win again.
” We have been the group fighting for pensioners but NUP did not tell us about the agreement it had with Government. Our position is that since it’s agreement, we have accepted it. The Governor is building road and other projects for the people, we don’t mind forfeiting the balance as our contribution.
” We are satisfied with that because some of us never believed we could still be paid in our lifetime. ”
Similarly, another pensioner, Elder Sunday Agbaeze, told Wawa News Global that he had lost count of the number of years he was owed pension arrears, and thanked Otti for doing what his predecessors could not do.
” I’m very happy. I never expected we would ever be paid the arrears again because nothing is guaranteed in this country. Sincerely, I had counted it as something that was lost. I was surprised when I got the bank alert.
” My prayer is for God to bless Otti. My reason for voting him these three times he contested for election has been confirmed. I believed he would fix Abia, and he has not proved me wrong.”
Another pensioner, Elder Sunday Chimezie, also was full of thanks for the Governor, who he described as ‘God-sent for Abia’.
” I sincerely appreciate Gov. Otti for remembering senior citizens. Other Governors were insensitive to our plights but he has shown concern. God will reward him”.
Be that as it may, the courage of the Governor to liquidate pension arrears has continued to endear him to many hearts across party lines.
His recent declaration that “never again shall pensioners be owed in Abia”, should be sustained as part of conscious efforts to reciprocate the immense contributions of the senior citizens who had sacrifices their youthful time to serve the state.
Steve Oko, Publisher/C.E.O, WaWa News Global. For more information on advert placement and news coverage, contact us on: 08038725600, or via email stevemanofgod2000@yahoo.com; wawanewsglobal@gmail.com Always read WaWa News Global - Your most dependable online news platform for the latest breaking news in Nigeria.
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