Confusion in Imo as Okorocha burdens retirees to apply for gratuity payments
Contrary to normal practice of relying on documentations gathered over the years by the government to process gratuity for retired state workers, there are indications that the Imo State Government has ordered retires who are yet to receive their gratuities to apply through the office of the Accountant general of the State.
Already, retirees from all corners of the state are trooping to the International Conference centre to submit their applications.
Barring his mind on the development, a Pension lawyer, Isaac Mbagwu decried the unnecessary burdening of senior citizens whom the state government has every needed detail on them to write application to get his right.
He said “It is an aberration to worry retired workers to apply for their constitutional right. In fact, gratuity, according to the regulations governing pension can be said to be a fundamental right of retirees and should not be bordered to get same”.
“Now what happens to a dead retiree who is yet to get his or her gratuity? Does it mean that he or she does not exist or should be given the gratuity? I think this is another ploy to ridicule our senior citizens after serving their state with passion.
Continuing, he decried the act and wondered if it ever came from the governor, saying “there is no need of driving and dribbling old men and women who could have been his parents up and down. Government should pay them their rights and allow them to enjoy their old age than testing their ability to write good sentences at old age.”
In an interview with a state pensioner in Owerri, the 87 year old mother decried what she described as ‘old age assignment’ given to them by the governor and expressed worry for her mates who cannot write due to old age before they can get what belong to them seamlessly in Imo State.
She hinted that contrary to the clams that government is paying pensioners 100 per cent, “I just came to Owerri when I heard it only to be told that it was those of us that rejected the 40 per cent paid us last year that are now getting their own. No pensioner is being paid any new pension of 100 per cent.”
“Somebody told me that government may pay everybody later but not now as those that are being paid are those that rejected collecting anything less than 100 per cent last year.
