Get Guardian on GoogleEnugu State pensioners, under the auspices of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), have commended Governor Peter Mbah for clearing the state’s legacy arrears, describing their decades of disappointment in retirement as a harrowing experience.
The pensioners spoke as retirees started receiving their gratuities dating back to the year 2000, with some also extending to the military era, saying the development had restored life to their bodies.
Chairman of the Enugu State chapter of NUP, Ikechukwu Ekere, confirmed the payment over the weekend, describing the development as “an emotional moment for pensioners, many of whom had long given up hope of receiving their gratuities in their lifetime.”
Similarly, Caretaker Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Local Government Staff Pensions Board branch, Kenneth Ugwueze, told newsmen that the development had restored hope and joy in many homes.
He explained that before now, local council workers and primary school teachers had to wait for two years after retirement before receiving their pensions, but since the conclusion of the verification exercise in July 2024, all pensioners have been receiving their pensions as and when due.
Meanwhile, the Accountant-General of Enugu State, Mr Tony Okenwa, recalled that Mbah had always insisted during discussions prior to the verification and payment of backlogs that no senior citizen should go to bed hungry.
Consequently, the State Executive Council, after several layers of verification, approved N32 billion, with the governor releasing an initial N10 billion, assuring that the releases would continue until the entire liabilities were cleared.
