Fainted retiree
By Jon Egie
A retiree, Alfred Esiphri who is among the over 5000 retirees involved in the ongoing protest for the payment of their gratuities has fainted.
The retirees staged the protest today, Thursday, March 10, to the Government House, Asaba where they hoped to engage Governor Okowa on the delayed payment of their gratuities.
Drawn from retired personnel of local government councils and local education authorities staff and public primary schools teachers across the State, the retirees insisted that Governor Okowa must pay their gratuities immediately as many of them were dead and dying for lack of money to keep themselves and families, five years and seven years after retirement respectively.
The protest was earlier staged at the gate of the Government House but when they found out that the governor was carrying out a function at the Event Center, they chased him there.
The authorities would however not allow them in but after a while, a delegation of the retirees was permitted to meet with the SSG, Patrick Ukah and the Chief of Staff, Festus Agas for a dialogue.
While the outcome of the dialogue was being awaited, Alfred fainted .
