Pensioners threaten mass protest in Benue

Pensioners in Benue State on Tuesday handed the Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration a one-week ultimatum to meet their demands or face protests from members.

 The pensioners under the aegis of Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) arrived at the decision during an emergency meeting at its secretariat in Makurdi.

The State Chairman of the pensioners, Michael Vembe and Secretary, Saater Bur, said members demanded that the government should release N900 million  monthly for the payment of local government pensioners in the state.

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They also demanded that the state government pays all local government pensioners their three months pension arrears without delay in addition to the payment of their pension arrears and gratuities while placing all retirees that have fully processed their papers on pension payroll this month and pay pension within a month of a worker’s retirement from service.

The meeting resolved that if the government fails to meet their demands, the union will have no choice but mobilise all pensioners in the state to protest on Wednesday next week.

While appreciating the government for paying three months’ pension to all state pensioners, the pensioners lamented that one month has been paid to one third of local government pensioners.