The Abia State Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has rejected the Abia State government’s claims that all pension arrears have been cleared.
The Abia NUP stated their position during a press conference held on Thursday in Umuahia, the Abia State Capital.
The Abia Pensioners are demanding a review of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), narrating a foul play in the process in the said agreement.
During the press conference, the Pensioners narrated in detail their ongoing struggle since the signing of the MOA earlier this year which has stirred up controversy.
CANDID REPORTERS gathered that the governor proposed a new payment framework based on percentages of the arrears owed, but the union insisted on revisions, seeking a higher payout for pensioners.
Following a series of meetings between the NUP executive and government officials, no clear resolutions emerged. The union expressed disappointment with the government’s handling of the matter, accusing it of stalling, dishonesty, and trying to coerce pensioners into waiving their entitlements.
The Pensioners holds the position that only 10 months of pension arrears from the current administration had been paid, while 45 months of arrears from previous administrations remain outstanding.
“However, a verification exercise later revealed that the amount required far exceeded initial estimates, jumping from N10 billion to N30 billion. The Governor proposed a new template for payment, offering percentages based on the arrears owed, but the union requested revisions, seeking a higher payout for pensioners.” The Union statement partly read.
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