By Titus Atondu, Makurdi
Benue State Government under the leadership of Governor Samuel Ortom has dismissed the claims making around the State by a group of pensioners under the aegis of National Union Coalition of Aggrieved Pensioners (NUCAP), Benue State Chapter bordering on non-payment of pension arrears and other pension benefits.
In a press statement signed by Nathaniel Ikyur, Media and Acting Chief Press Secretary to Governor Samuel Ortom and made available to Nigerian NewDirect, the State Government explained that the aggrieved pensioners focused their claims on non-payment of pension arrears, non harmonisation of pensions as well as non-payment of backlog of gratuity and pensions in the State.
The statement noted that the State government, in agreement with the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Pensions, who are also part of the monthly Local Government Joint Account has been paying the sum of N700million naira to pensioners in the state monthly out of which N300million goes to the local government Pensioners while the sum of N400million goes to the state pensioners monthly and it has been in effect in the last six months and government intends to continue with it until the payment system stabilized.
“Benue State government has domesticated the National Pension Commission’s Law most importantly and this will serve as a permanent solution to issues of retiring civil servants.”
This according to the statement means that when people retire from the public service, the challenge of waiting on government will not arise, they will be paid by their respective pension Administrators on retirement.
The Government also noted the issues raised by the aggrieved pensioners, saying, “Government does not deny the fact that it is owing the pensioners which was inherited.”
“Government also wishes to state that it is not in the best interest of the state to engage its respected retired senior citizens in the media space and has decided to invite the aggrieved parties to engage them.”