By James Patterson
The Concerned Pensioners Association of Benue State has threatened to resume protests over the non-payment of pension arrears and gratuities, accusing the state government of ignoring their demands more than one month after retirees staged a peaceful demonstration in Makurdi.
In a statement issued on Monday by its Chairman, Hon. Akosu Orban, the association said the government had remained silent despite the concerns raised by pensioners over what they described as the continued violation of their rights.
“It is over a month today after the Benue State Civil Pensioners staged a human rights violation protest over non-payment of their entitlements. However, the Benue State Government has kept sealed lips over the protest,” Orban said.
The association demanded the immediate payment of pension arrears, claiming that state pensioners are owed 38 months while local government retirees are owed as much as 96 months.
The retirees also called for the implementation of pension harmonisation in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, alleging that some pensioners still receive as little as N2,000 monthly instead of N40,000.
“We are saying our pension arrears be paid now. Pension harmonisation should be implemented, and gratuities stretching back to the year 2000 should no longer be ignored,” Orban stated.
The association lamented that gratuities dating back to 2000 remained unpaid, leaving many retirees who exited the civil service more than two decades ago without their retirement benefits.
Describing the plight of pensioners as unbearable, Orban said many retirees could no longer afford food, medication or support for their families due to the prolonged delay in the payment of their entitlements.
“Most pensioners are on special drugs and diet but cannot afford even a maintenance ration. A week before our protest, one of us died because he could not afford N500 worth of drugs to control his rising sugar level, despite having millions of naira in unpaid pension and gratuity,” he alleged.
According to him, the worsening economic hardship has forced some pensioners into begging and scavenging for survival, while many are unable to pay school fees for their children.
The association also accused the Benue State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), led by Mr. Michael Vembe, of failing to adequately represent the interests of retirees.
Questioning the union’s role, Orban asked: “Where was Vembe when pensions were unpaid for between 38 and 96 months? Where was he when pension rates were not harmonised and gratuities remained unpaid since 2000?”
He further alleged that while the current administration had settled the pensions and gratuities of some recent retirees, those who retired between 2000 and 2023 had largely been left out, describing the situation as unfair.
The association appealed to President Bola Tinubu, the National Human Rights Commission, international human rights organisations and other stakeholders to intervene, describing the situation as a humanitarian crisis.
Orban also called on the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to support retired civil servants in the state, saying many pensioners were dying from hunger, hardship and lack of access to healthcare.
“This is a human rights crisis and requires a human rights solution. We urge President Tinubu, the First Lady and all relevant organisations to come to our rescue and ensure that justice is done to Benue pensioners,” he said.
The pensioners equally appealed to journalists and civil society organisations to continue drawing attention to their plight in the hope that sustained public pressure would compel the government to act.
Responding to the allegations, the Benue State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Michael Vembe, dismissed the agitation by the Concerned Pensioners Association, insisting that their claims did not represent the position of the majority of retirees.
“Their demands are not genuine and we do not discuss their matter. We cannot be talking of a few pensioners where we have over 19,000 members. A lot is being done already by the government to address the issue and we are waiting patiently,” Vembe said.
The Benue State Commissioner for Finance, Michael Oglegba, had earlier stated that the administration inherited substantial pension and gratuity liabilities, assuring that the government was making efforts to clear the backlog within the limits of available resources.
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