The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) in Imo has suspended its planned Dec. 12 demonstration in Owerri.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Imo NUP leadership had on Dec. 7 issued a statement directing its branches in all the 27 local government areas of the state to transport between five and 10 members to participate in the shelved protest.
However, a statement issued by the NUP to NAN on Sunday in Owerri explained that the suspension followed a commitment made by the State Government to pay the arrears of pension owed members before Christmas.
The statement, jointly signed by Messrs Gideon Ezeji and Livinus Asiegbu, the Chairman and Secretary of the state NUP, respectively, expressed optimism in the assurance given by government.
“Pensioners in Imo will be so glad to get the arrears owe them by Imo government to enable them join other Imo people and Nigerians to celebrate the 2016 Christmas,’’ the statement read in part.
The statement listed the arrears as at November 2016 as follows: Civil pensioners 21 months, local government pensioners 22 months, retired primary school teachers 31 months, IBC pensioners 42 months, retired permanent secretaries 21 months, and Alvan Ikoku College of Education pensioners 76 months.
The statement further noted that Imo pensioners were yet to be paid gratuities since 1998, while government has not harmonised pension increases of pensioners since the year 2000 to date.
“We are hopeful that government will live up to the commitment made in our meetings with them and for that we felt it was imperative to hold them by their words and suspend the Dec. 12 planned protest,’’ the statement added.
The union prayed that each pensioner should get at least 10 months arrears from what is owe each group as listed above.
The statement thanked the state government for its proposal to pay 40 per cent of the arrears owe pensioners.
“What we are against is the writing off the 60 per cent balance of our arrears,’’ the NUP said. (NAN)