APC Condemns Withholding of Pensioners’ Gratuities, Calls on Otti Government to Pay Arrears and Implement Minimum Wage.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State having listened to the cries of Abia pensioners through a press conference held recently has described as wicked, heartless and an embarrassment to the state, the intentional withholding of gratuities owed pensioners for over 60 months by the Abia State Government, despite the huge amount of funds accruing to the state from the Federation Account.

It has become extremely embarrassing,concerning and distressing to hear pensioners cry out daily that the Alex Otti led government in Abia State has been unable to clear the pension and gratuity arrears owed these senior citizens, while the government continuously lie and deploy media propaganda against these senior citizens.

It is worthy of note that, rather than fully settle the outstanding gratuities owed retirees, the Abia State Government deceptively forced them to sign off on their outstanding gratuities and immediately rushed to the media to advertise that they have paid off all the outstanding arrears. This is condemnable, it is fraudulent,it is a scam and amounts to subjecting vulnerable senior citizens to undue pressure over money they have legitimately earned and are entitled to.

It is saddening that the Alex Otti administration, which went on the media to announce to the world that it had cleared over 20 years of pension arrears, has, according to the pensioners, not paid a kobo in gratuity since 2023, with outstanding obligations reportedly exceeding ₦70 billion, including obligations owed by the local government councils.

The APC finds it unconscionable that, contrary to the impression being created on social media, the Abia State Government has continued to pay retirees as little as ₦4,000 per month as against the 32k National threshold as agreed by the states in view of the prevailing economic realities while also owing them years of gratuity.

Our sister states of Imo and Enugu, have taken steps to implement the new minimum wage and has fully offsetted their pension and gratuity obligations. while Abia has continued to lie and deploy media propaganda against them.

It is equally disturbing, the situation Abia workers are faced with, available data indicate that workers in the state are among the least paid in the country, with some government agencies including ASEPA, ABSSA, Home land Security and ARTSMA, reportedly paying workers between ₦23,000 and ₦40,000 monthly,while ministries earn below the 70k minimum wage threshold, but the most disturbing aspect is that, while these workers are being paid with the obsolete wage standards they are being taxed with 2024 tax regime. this is not acceptable. It is modern day slavery,it is inhuman,it is exploitation, it is wickedness of immeasurable order and an affront to the dignity of the Abia worker.

We therefore call on the Alex Otti administration to demonstrate empathy and immediately implement the minimum wage as agreed between the government and organised labour. Workers who dedicate their time and energy to the service of the state deserve wages that enable them to live with dignity, particularly at a time when the cost of food, transportation, housing and other basic necessities has risen dramatically.

It is unfortunate that, despite Abia State receiving humongous monthly revenues, averaging about ₦40 to 60 billion, workers and pensioners are still subjected to this level of hardship and deprivation.

Recently, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, approved the sharing of ₦84 billion for infrastructure, and Abia State’s share of the funds has been lodged in a bank where officials of the state government have substantial interest. We are concerned by that while this money is lying idle and yielding interest for individuals instead of being deployed to address pressing needs across the state, pensioners are dying.

We call on the Abia State Government to deploy available funds responsibly to clear the pension and gratuity arrears and stop creating a misleading impression about the commitment of the Tinubu administration and the APC led Federal Government to the welfare of Nigerians.

The Federal Government has continued to provide resources to states to enable them meet their obligations and improve the welfare of their citizens and the people must be made to feel the impact. Public resources must be made to serve the public, not private interests.

We therefore urge the Abia State Government to create a balance between infrastructure development and peoples welfare, no infrastructure project is more important than the dignity, welfare and survival of the people.

The APC in Abia State sympathises with pensioners and civil servants who are currently passing through severe hardship. We call on the government to listen to their cries, settle all outstanding pension and gratuity arrears owed these senior citizens, and immediately pay civil servants the nationally approved minimum wage.

The APC sympathises with Abia pensioners, retirees and civil servants who are enduring severe economic hardship.

These are people who built and served this state. They should not spend their retirement in agony, begging for benefits they legitimately earned through decades of service and hard work.

We therefore urge the Abia State Government to stop the excuses, wickedness, lies and propaganda and immediately pay the pensions and gratuities of these suffering retirees.

Signed:
Uche Aguoru
Publicity Secretary
APC, Abia State