Taraba retirees protest against non-payment of pensions, gratuities

Vehicular movement and business activities were temporarily halted in Jalingo, yesterday, as Taraba State retirees protested against the non-payment of their pensions and gratuities.

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

Alleging the failure of Governor Darius Ishaku’s administration to attend to their plight, they vowed not to desert the streets till the government deems it necessary to attend to them.

Led by the Chairman, Silas Jafta, and Secretary, Yohanna Ajiya, they claimed that the governor’s refusal to attend to their plight sent some of their colleagues to the Great Beyond.

The pensioners, who were demanding the full payment of their gratuities, also expressed dismay that over 1,000 of the retirees had not been adequately captured for the past eight years.

Wondering why the government has not deemed it necessary to implement the new minimum wage of N30,000 approved by the Federal Government three years ago, they vowed to fight till their demands are met.

The retirees, who were also demanding the prompt payment of their pensions, said they resolved to embark on “endless peaceful demonstration” with their families.

Some retirees told The Guardian that the non-payment of their pensions and gratuities made it impossible for them to feed their families.

Ruing their inability to pay their wards’ school fees, which led to their withdrawal from schools, the pensioners called on the electorate to frustrate the governor’s senatorial ambition in the next political dispensation, unless he addressed their concerns.

At the time of filing this report, the retirees were at the Government House entrance calling on the governor to come out and address them.