TheCable

Pensioners of Abia State University Teaching Hospital have urged Okezie Ikpeazu, governor of the state, to use part of the refund given to the state from Paris debt deductions to settle their three years pension arrears.

Victor Nwogwugwu, chairman of the hospital’s pensioners, made the appeal in an interview with NAN.

He said the government should use part of the N10 billion it got from the refund to pay up the arrears.

“We the ABSUTH pensioners want to remind the governor that when the first federal government bail-out fund was received by Abia state, salaries were paid with it but we did not benefit from it,” he said.

“Now that the governor has made a promise to pay up workers salary arrears with half of the money he has received from Paris Club, he should remember ABSUTH pensioners and workers.

“We are human beings but have kept quiet over the bad treatment given us until now.

“The government should reciprocate our good gesture of peace with the reward of paying up our three years pension arrears.”

Nwogwugwu lamented that for three years the government had neglected, and left them to suffer.

He said many of them had died, explaining that most of those who passed on were unable to access medical services due to poverty following non-payment of their pension.