By Okiemute Okpomor
Commercial as well as social activities came to standstill in Asaba, as retirees from different ministries and agencies protested against non-payment of their entitlements for over 10 years by the Delta state government.
The protesters, who stormed the state capital from all the 25 local government areas of the state marched from Labour House along NTA Road through to the Delta State House of Assembly where they were addressed by Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, Speaker of the House.
Addressing the protesters, Rt. Hon. Oborevwori pacified them explaining that government is doing everything possible to address their issue as soon as possible.
At the Government House where the aged men and women trekked to from the labour house, stern looking police were on ground to forestall their forceful entry.
They shouted, cursing Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State, they demanded to see the governor to address them and no other person?
After sometime, Mr. Tam Brisibe, Chief of Staff , Government House and Barr. Peter Mrakpor, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice came to address them but the protesters stood their ground, insisting that they needed the governor only to address them and no one else.
After much pleading to give them audience, the angry and hungry aged men and women overpowered the two officials and forced them to go back and bring the governor to address them, a development which made the two officials to retreat and return to their offices.
As tension rose to a crescendo with the retirees unwilling to leave nor listen to any official of the government, Mr. Reginald Bayoko, Head of Service, Delta State appeared from Government House with a message from the governor, the angry pensioners who had become impatient with Governor Okowa refused to listen to Mr. Bayoko, standing firmly and insisting that they needed only the governor and no one else to address them.
After much waiting at Government House gate with the governor not willing to show up, the women among the protesting retirees, regrouped, plucked leaves and danced round the gate, swearing and cursing the governor and his family members.
Some of the inscriptions on their placards were: “No hope in Delta after retirement,” “Governor Okowa for God’s sake pay our money,” Stop apartheid policy in payment of retirees,” “Save retirees from untimely death, “Stop delay in payment of retirees,” “The blood of the dead contributory retirees is crying to God for vengeance,” Pharaoh of Delta state pay us our harmonization” and “No harmonization no second term.”
The angry retirees who are under the aegis of Association of Contributory Retirees, said the state government has been giving them promises but they have never been fulfilled.
According to a statement made available to the Urhobo Voice by the group signed by Com. Ajueshi Ovwioro and Com. Joseph Opkromo, chairman and secretary respectively, “since 2012, we have been on this matter. We are part of this state. We are not doing damages to anybody. So many of our members have died. We need our money, not promises.”
They lamented that after 10 years, the Contributory Pension Scheme came into force in Delta, the state government is still grappling with putting the scheme in proper perspective adding that in spite of receiving and collecting different tranches of bailouts funds given by the Federal Government, the state has refused to pay their entitlements.
They spoke further, “we are being shortchanged by the government. Out of N10billion given to Delta state in the 3rd tranche of bailout, only a paltry N300million was given to the contributory pension scheme. To say the least, the contributory pension scheme is a monumental failure in the state as the state government has persistently flouted the rules of the scheme.”
The statement further reads, “it has refused to pay the mandatory 5 percent of the monthly wage bill of its employees into the account since 2007 to date as stipulated by pension reform law. This has caused untold hardship to the generality of the contributory retirees. Hence, we demand a reversal to the old order until the government is ready for this pension scheme.”
