Hundreds of primary school contributory retirees in Delta State on Monday staged a protest in front of Government House Gate, Asaba over unpaid pensions since 2015.
The retirees dressed in black attires, carried leaves and placards with various inscriptions such as ”Okowa pay us”, ”Why are u treating us bad”, and chanting wailing songs.
The protest paralyzed vehicular and human traffic as the aggrieved retirees sat on the busy Anwai–Illah road that leads to the Government House, while others were seen rolling on the ground.
The Spokesman for the protesters, Reverend Friday Johnny said the Government was insensitive to their plight, alleging that the state had money to clear their pension arrears.
The aggrieved retirees who waited for hours for Governor Okowa to address them, had earlier rejected the state commissioner for finance, Fidelis Tilije who came to calm them.
Meanwhile, Delta State Government had few days ago, said it had approved two point five billion naira as grants for payment of primary school retirees
The State Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu told newsmen in Asaba that it was the responsibility of local government councils to pay local government retirees including those from primary schools.
He also said the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa had been assisting local governments with grants to ease payment of pension arrears.
Reporting by Sam Erhunmwunsee; Editing by Annabel Nwachukwu