Pensioners in Abia State, yesterday, in their numbers, embarked on a peaceful protest in Umuahia, the state capital, demanding unpaid 45 months of pensions and 22 years of gratuities by the Okezie Ikpeazu administration.

The protesters, under the aegis of Concerned Abia Pensioners, said that due to the non-harmonisation of pensions in the state, pensioners are being paid between N500 and N6, 000. They further noted that when payment was made, it was one-third of their monthly pensions every quarter.

Addressing journalists during the protest, the spokesman of the group, Chief Emeka Okezie, said that members die almost on daily basis because they can’t afford medicare and decent daily meals.

He added: “The remains of our former Chairman, Mr. Dan Amugo, who died recently, is still in the mortuary awaiting burial due to lack of funds to do so.

“I was once arrested and detained when we staged a peaceful protest to plead with the state government to pay our pensions and gratuities.”

We urge the government to do the needful and save us from the rigour of old age after serving our state meritoriously, expecting to live on our pension until death comes.”