From TCNEWS
The Nigeria Union of Pensioners, NUP Abia State Council has passionately called on the Abia State Government to take necessary actions to resolve the issues of some living pensioners not duly verified and the verified next of kins not received any payment among other lingering issues.
The Union reasoned that such positive/proactive actions from the government would save the affected from further suffering and hardship, particularly pensioners who retired from the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia, BCA and Abia State University Teaching Hospital, ABSUTH.
In a five point communique signed by the State Chairman of NUP, Elder Chukwuemeka Irondi, and Secretary, Elder Uma Kalu and made available to newsmen at the end of the enlarged State Council meeting of the Council held at the Pensioners’ hall, Subtreasury, Umuahia, the enlarged Council in session also reviewed the recent developments in the state as it affects pensions and clearance of pension arrears, and appreciated Governor Alex Otti for paying the accumulated arrears of pensions and for restoring full monthly payment of pensions in the state.
The communique partly read, “On the Memorandum of Agreement between the Abia State Government and the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Abia State, this Enlarged State Council blames the State Executive of the Union for signing the said Memorandum of Agreement on Trust without reading it carefully, no matter the pressure on them and the urgency attached to it by the government team.
“However, the Council upholds the stand of the state executive in paragraph 3 of its letter to the Executive Governor of Abia State on 4th April, 2024 that paragraph vi (C) of the Memorandum of Agreement which reads – consequently the members of the NUP in its duly convened meeting on 11th January, 2024 resolved to waive its outstanding entitlements and gratuities should be expunged because neither this Council nor the State Executive of the Union has the capacity to waive or forgo the gratuities of retirees because severance gratuity is consolidated money sum to which the retirees is entitled once and for all.
“The Council notes that articles 7a and b of the Memorandum of Agreement provides that any disagreement arising from this Memorandum of Agreement should be resolved first by mutual negotiations between the parties. This proviso has not been explored. We therefore look up to Government for that move”.
Also perturbed over the activities of some Pensioners who have allegedly constituted themselves as clog in the wheel of the progress of the Union, the Council warned such pensioners to retrace their steps or be prepared to contend with the NUP.
