Seek Assembly’s intervention
Taraba State retirees, yesterday, protested at the House of Assembly against non-payment of their pensions and gratuities.

The retirees, who came out in their numbers, alleged that the state government had abandoned the state and council pensioners.

They, therefore, urged the leadership of the House to, as a matter of urgency, wade in their matter.

The pensioners lamented the governor has not for once deemed it fit to borrow a leaf from his counterparts in other states, whom they said, had been attending to their colleagues.

Led by the Chairman, Silas Jafta and Secretary, Yohanna Ajiya, the pensioners claimed that Governor Darius Ishaku’s refusal to attend to their plight had sent some of their colleagues to early grave.

They expressed sadness that since the governor came on board, issues that have to do with pensioners had been swept under the carpet.

“Non-payment of gratuities and pensions of local councils’ members of staff has caused hardship to us.

“Our children have been sent out of school, while some retirees are dead or sick without money for treatment,” the retirees stated.

“Many councils’ members of staff, who retired over eight to 10 years ago, have not been paid their pensions,” they said.

The aggrieved pensioners, who alleged that the governor had turned deaf ears to all their pleas, urged the Speaker to use his office to table the matter before the House for discussion.

The leadership of the union, who later went into a closed-door meeting with the leadership of the House, said the Speaker had promised to reach out to the governor on their behalf.