Gov Ifeanyi Okowa
By Jon Egie
Going by the volume of money released by Governor Okowa to the Delta State Bureau of local government pension, to off-set the over N51 billion owed retirees, it would take not less than 15 years for a local government worker or public primary school teacher who retires to be paid his gratuity/pensions.
This was disclosed in a letter by the Delta State local government and primary school contributory retirees, addressed to Governoer Ifeanyi Okwa.
The letter dated August 18, 2021 and titled, “Re-An Appeal for the Payment of the Accumulated Gratuities and Pensions of Local Government/Primary School Contributory Retirees in Delta State”, was signed by Amb Mode Augustine, Chief Mrs Ejieh H.C, Sir Tukpe Henry and Prince Etuvwede G.U; on behalf of the over 5,000 retirees in the State who are yet to be paid their gratuities/pensions.
They reminded the governor that they had earlier written several letters to him on the matter and even embarked on public protest to call for the governor’s attention but nothing has been done by the governor.
“All we are asking for is for government to release adequate funds for the payment of our Accrued Rights. For the avoidance of doubts, the Accrued Rights are the liabilities and indebtedness of the State Government to the local government and primary school retirees before 2011 when the Contributory Pension Scheme commenced, and without payment of these Accrued Rights, we cannot access the savings we made to our various Pension Funds Administrators (PFAs). The non- payment of this money by government has made our life savings to lie idle in the purses of the PFAs who are making millions from them while we, the contributors, are wallowing in penury and squalor.
“As at today, the government is releasing just N300 million monthly to the Bureau of local government pension to off-set over N51billion (Fifty-one billion naira), owed by her as at November 2020. This amount will take over 15 years to be paid off, not to talk of those retiring to join the queue.”
They asked Governor Okowa to compel whatever level of government or agency responsible for the payments to do so without further delay as the lives of retired local government staff and primary school teachers matter too.
They also called on the government to declare a state of emergency on the payment of Accrued Rights by releasing some lump sum of about N10 billion and increase the monthly allocation for the Bureau fro,N300 million to N2 billion to “remove us from this suffering” the retirees said.
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