By Ijendu Iheaka
Aba – Pensioners of Abia State University Teaching Hospital, on Wednesday urged Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu to use part of the refund given to the state from Paris debt deductions to settle their three years pension arrears.
Mr Victor Nwogwugwu, Chairman of the hospital’s pensioners, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Aba.
He said that the government should use part of the N10 billion it got from the refund to pay up the arrears.
“We the ABSUTH pensioners want to remind the governor that when the first federal government bail-out fund was received by Abia state, salaries were paid with it but we did not benefit from it.
“Now that the governor has made a promise to pay up workers salary arrears with half of the money he has received from Paris Club, he should remember ABSUTH pensioners and workers.
“We are human beings but have kept quiet over the bad treatment given us until now.
“The government should reciprocate our good gesture of peace with the reward of paying up our three years pension arrears,” the chairman said.
Nwogwugwu lamented that for three years the government had neglected them and were left to suffer, thereby resulting to the death of many of them.
According to him, most of those who died were unable to access medical services due to poverty following non payment of their pension.
He therefore urged the government, “in the spirit of fairness”, to pay the ABSUTH pensioners their pension entitlements.
