The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State has condemned what it described as the intentional withholding of pensioners’ gratuities for over 60 months, describing the situation as “wicked” and “an embarrassment” to the state.
CDA News Nigeria gathered that the party, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Uche Aguoru, alleged that despite claims by the Alex Otti administration of having cleared over 20 years of pension arrears, retirees say they have not received any gratuity payment since 2023, with outstanding obligations allegedly exceeding ₦70 billion.
The APC further alleged that some pensioners were pressured to sign off on outstanding gratuities while receiving as little as ₦4,000 monthly, far below the nationally agreed minimum wage threshold. The party also claimed that workers in some state agencies earn between ₦23,000 and ₦40,000 monthly, despite the state’s substantial monthly allocations from the Federation Account.
The party called on the state government to promptly implement the approved minimum wage and clear all outstanding pension and gratuity arrears, insisting that infrastructure spending should not take precedence over citizens’ welfare.
The Abia State Government is yet to respond publicly to the allegations. CDA News Nigeria could not immediately independently verify the specific figures cited in the APC statement.
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