Delays in payment of retirement benefits: Ex-Abia perm secs send SoS to Otti

Delays in payment of retirement benefits: Ex-Abia perm secs send SoS to Otti

By Steve Oko

Permanent Secretaries who were retired from Abia State civil service on October 31, 2023, have sent a Save Our Soul message to Governor Alex Otti, seeking his urgent intervention over the bureaucratic bottle necks delaying the payment of their retirement benefits.

The affected Permanent Secretaries in a press statement issued Wednesday in Umuahia, commended the Governor for listening to their earlier pleas, and for graciously giving approval for the payment of their entitlements.

They, however, expressed worry that six months after the Governor’s approval, the approval is yet to be implemented by the Accountant General of the State.

In the statement signed by a former Permanent Secretary, Government House, Mr Nkwachukwu Agomoh on behalf of others, the retired Permanent Secretaries, expressed frustration over the economic hardship the delays in the payment of their benefits had caused them.

The Permanent Secretaries who applauded the Governor for his consistency in paying retirees’ pension along with workers’ salaries every month, said they decided to draw his attention to their plight following speculations in some quarters that they had been paid.

They passionately appealed to the Governor to verify the information, and prevail on the relevant officials “to do the needful”.

The statement further read:”We thank the Governor for keeping his promise , and being regular and prompt in the payment of pension alongside salary of civil servants.

“We thank the Governor for his kind approval for the payment of our retirement entitlements since January this year; and wish to remind him that the approval is yet to be translated to cash due to bureaucratic bottle necks.

“We, therefore, passionately appeal to His Excellency, to please ensure that his promise prior to our retirement is implemented without further delay.

“The immediate payment of the retirement entitlements which include gratuity, severance allowance and furniture allowance (where applicable), will further portray Gov. Otti as a promise- keeping Governor”.

The affected retired Permanent Secretaries who commended Gov. Otti for his developmental strides, urged him to sustain the tempo.

 

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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