Edo Govt. Set Up Eight Man Committee to Workout Modalities for Payment Of Pension Arrears

BENIN CITY-  Edo State Government has set up eight man committee to work out the modalities to clear-up pension arrears and to finally put an end to the pension confrontation between the government and pensioners in the state.

Speaking to newsmen on the outcome of the meeting held with Governor Godwin Obaseki to resolve the pension issues in the state, the chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) Edo State Chapter Comrade Emmanuel Ademokun express his delight on the success of the meeting comprising, Trade Union Congress (TUC), NLC and the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP) saying the meeting with the governor was fruitful.

Ademokun said the committee is made up of four people on the side of the government led by the Secretary to Edo State Government Barr. Osarodion Ogie and four others from labour who have been assigned to look at the modalities to clear-up the arrears of pension in the state. He noted that the governor has agreed to lift the ban on the payment of pension stopped few weeks ago.

“Organize labour hope to meet with the aggrieved members of pensioners on Wednesday the 8^th of November 2017 to address them and let them know the good news from the government. Most of them will be part of the committee to work out the monthly disbursement of pension arrears plan for pensioners in the state”.

The Chairman of TUC Marshal Orhue commended the governor for the success of the meeting and thanked him for his determination to resolve the issue of pension in the state. He added that the pension is for both state and local government pensioners in the state.

Chairman of Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) Edo State Chapter Pullen Noruwa said they are happy with the outcome of the meeting with the governor appealing to the governor to keep his promise by paying them their monthly pension and also the arrears assuring him that there will no longer be protest in the street of Benin City.

He said the protest was due to misunderstanding between the government and the pensioners due to communication gap which has been addressed in the meeting. He noted that pensioners in the state were not carried along on what the government was doing on pension issue stressing that the committee set up by the government is to bridge the gap between the government and pensioners in the state.

The Chairman of the most aggrieved pensioners in the state Barr. Gabriel Osemwenkha said he is satisfied with the outcome of the meeting with the governor saying the governor has assured them that there are plans on the way to make payment possible. He said the communication gap caused the confrontation with the government but now that the government has agreed to pay the outstanding arrears the pensioners are happy.

“Our pension arrears is what we have been fighting for, otherwise the governor is doing a good job in terms of governance in the state. We want him to honour his words and pay us our arrears so that there will not be protest again in future”.