Hundreds of Delta State retirees have stormed the state Government House, Asaba, protesting against the state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, over the nonpayment of their pension, gratuities and other entitlements running into several billions of naira.
The retirees, drawn from across the 25 local government areas of the state on Monday as of 9am, displayed several packs of drugs bought for the treatment of different ailments resulting from the hardship inflicted on them over the non-payment of their entitlements by the state governor.
They stormed the government house Asaba, with black attires, disrupted official activities in the government house and protested with placards to press home their demands for the payment of all their entitlements accrued them.
The retirees under the umbrella of “Concerned Delta State Local Government Contributory Retirees Forum”, had early this November, issued a statement to embark on what they called the “mother of all protests” over the non-payment of their pension, gratuities and other entitlements been withheld by the Okowa led administration.
The protesters armed with different placards bearing different inscriptions such as “Okowa you are owing both the living and the dead.” “Okowa fear God and pay us our money, retirees are suffering.”, “Okowa you want to go to Aso Rock whereas you have failed in your state.” “Okowa where is the N250 billion given to you by President Muhammadu Buhari for pensioners.” “Okowa why do you choose to treat us your father’s colleagues wickedly, please pay our money.” “Okowa pay the retirees from 2015 till date”, among others, blocked the government house entrance gate thereby preventing entry and exit by staff and visitors.
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The protest, it was gathered, is to draw attention to what the forum described as “failed N10billion promises” made by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as well as the death of its members over the past eight months.
Following, the early warning of “mother of all protest” issued by the retirees, the state government, made available, N5 billion which they have rejected saying until the N10 billion earlier promised them by governor Okowa, the protest will continue pending the fulfilment of his promises to them.
According to the forum, Okowa who is the vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), in the forthcoming 2023 general elections, in March promised to release N10 billion to retirees for the payment of their pensions, gratuities and other entitlements but has failed to fulfil his promise eight months after.
The Delta State government through its Information Commissioner, Charles Aniagwu, had said that the protesters were not retirees of the state government but primary school retirees under the local government councils even as he maintained that the protest was politically motivated.
As at the time of filing in this report, the protesters were still lying on the main road in the Government House along Awai road, thereby making vehicular movement difficult for commuters and other road users.
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