Five Enugu councils owe two years pension

Five Enugu State Local Councils owe retirees of local councils and primary schools over N104m pension arrears.
State Chairman, Enugu State Local Council and Primary School Pensioners (ELGPSP), Comrade John Eze, revealed this, yesterday, during an interaction with Nsukka Local Council chairman, Mr. Cosmas Ugwueze. 

He, therefore, issued a one-week ultimatum to the affected local councils to clear the backlog or risk picketing the union.

He listed the affected local councils as Nsukka, N55, 001, 819, 90k; Ezeagu, N18, 954, 880.00;  Nkanu East, N16, 885, 977, 35k; Udi, N10, 315, 039,49; and Igboeze South, N3, 057, 446, 22k.

Eze stated that the arrears had accumulated since 2019, noting that the ultimatum became necessary, following the hardship being faced by pensioners in the affected councils.

“We are in Nsukka Local Council to submit our protest letter, which contains the one-week ultimatum for the affected local councils to pay our members’ pension arrears without further delay.

“The last time our members received pension in Nsukka Local Council was in December 2019 and the situation is the same in the other four local councils. Our members in these five local councils are passing through hell on daily basis. Some of us are sick and cannot afford to pay hospital bills.

“We have resolved that a grace of one week be given to the five defaulting council areas to pay the said amount or we would relocate to the council areas and occupy until we are paid,” he said.

Eze, however, called on Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to intervene, describing the non-remittance of the pension as inhuman and an embarrassment to the affected local councils.