Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has hinted at revisiting the contentious issue of pension arrears owed to retirees in the state.
His reconsideration comes after a heartfelt plea from Rev. Ernest Onyukwu, who spoke during the 80th birthday celebration of Senator Chris Adighije at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Chapel in Umuahia on Saturday.
In his sermon, Rev. Onyukwu urged the governor to take a second look at his stance and extend compassion to the state’s elderly pensioners.
Governor Otti acknowledged the appeal but expressed frustration over what he described as blackmail from the leadership of pensioners. He explained that his administration had already signed a Memorandum of Agreement with them to clear the backlog inherited from past governments.
However, after the payments were made, the pensioners’ leadership alleged they had been coerced into signing the agreement and insisted they never agreed to forgo their gratuities. Otti suggested that political opposition had fueled their change of stance.
Despite the controversy, Abia pensioners now receive their monthly pensions alongside active workers on the 28th of every month, marking a significant shift from past irregular payments.
