Cross River retirees block Ayade’s office over 8yrs of unpaid gratuity

[From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar]

Retirees of the Cross River Civil Service have protested 8 years of salaries arrears owed them by the state government.

The retirees who blocked the entrance of the Governor’s Office decried the ill treatment metted out to them by the State Government of Prof. Ben Ayade.

They prevented vehicles from gaining access into the office and carried several placards.

Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), Calabar Branch, Dr Eyo Eyo, lamented the difficulties his colleagues have been subjected to.

He emotionally disclosed that most of them earn as little as 4,000 per month and most of the retirees have not collected their gratuities for as far back as 2013.

“It will interest you to know that many of us have not received our gratuity as far back as July 2013.

“Many of us were last paid pension in 2020, while some 99 percent of us are being owed since September, we don’t understand the logic behind selective payment of pension and gratuity.

“Interestingly, many of the pensioners collect as low as N4,000, some get N7,500 while others get a little above N15,000 to N20,000 which is amongst the highest ,why are they still being owed .

“We have appealed severally to government and at this point, we are tired of writing, they are claiming that the governor is not aware of our plight, well we have brought ourselves to his door post.

“We need money for upkeep, many have died, countless are bedridden are dying daily.

“We are in a sorry situation, look at one of us in the floor; he just collapsed, because he last had a good meal on Thursday morning.

“We have written countless letters to the governor through Organised Labour, we decided to come on our own, to make our position known today.

“We are aware that the governor is having a meeting at the State House of Assembly with some important visitors including governors, ministers, but we rather wait at the office for him because we respect him so much,” he said.

Also speaking, Etinyin Francis Henshaw condemned the action of the Ayade led administration saying he does not have regards for old people as well as senior citizens.

“Many of the people I retired with are either dead or bedridden ,I’m grateful to be alive and healthy, the way we are being treated is so unfair, we can no longer bear it anymore,” he said .

Permanent Secretary, Governor’s Office (Special Duties), Dr Alfred Mboto said it was unfortunate that the situation has degenerated to this.

Mboto said the government is doing everything possible to make sure that the pension and gratuities are paid.