Pensioners in Imo State, yesterday, protested the continued refusal by Governor Rochas Okorocha to pay them their pensions which ranged between 22 and 77 months in arrears.
Scores of pensioners, led by their state chairman, Chief Gideon Ezeji, blocked Okigwe road as well as the entrance to Government House, Owerri.
They urged President Muhammadu Buhari to call Okorocha to order, saying: ”He behaves disrespectfully and treats senior citizens in the state with deplorably.”
According to Ezeji,”Okorocha derives joy in seeing elders in this state coming out from time to time to the streets to ask for their pension. What did Okorocha do with the bailout fund that President Buhari gave to him? We are protesting for the third time.”
The latest development, which they described as ”wicked of Okorocha’s government is the plan to pay 40 percent of the accumulated arrears and gratuities and forfeit of 60 percent. We say no to this latest government plan to deny us the payment of 60 percent of arrears up to December.
”As at December 2016, the state is owing Imo pensioners between 22 months and 77 months arrears. Our gratuities have remained unpaid since 1998 till date.
