Retired Permanent Secretaries of the Abia State government, have raised an alarm over the refusal of the government to pay their retirement benefits, while calling on the government to pay their gratuities alongside other benefits accrued to them.
This is coming from a statement issued in Umuahia, the state capital, on Thursday, through the spokesman for the group, Mr Nkwachukwu Agumuo, stating that since they were abruptly disengaged from service, the Abia State government ought to have compensated them as stated by law so as to enable them have a footing in life after engaging in active service.
The group reminded the Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, on the need to address their request to reduce frustration among retirees, while also extending a hand of appreciation to the governor for his developmental projects across the state.
They stated that they had made several efforts to draw the attention of the state government to their cry, including visits to the Deputy Governor, the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, the Secretary to the State Government, and the Commissioner for Justice to address the issue but all efforts have proved abortive.
“It has become very urgent and pressing to bring to light our plight since October 2023, when our services in the state civil service were abruptly cut short. Since then, we have yet to receive our entitlements concerning severance allowances, furniture allowances, and gratuities”
“We are 30 permanent secretaries affected by this policy, and regrettably, we have taken several measures to get our voices heard, all to no avail”
“The silence from those relevant to our issue leaves much to be desired. This has left us in dire straits, financially and emotionally.
“All of us spent decades serving this state sacrificially for the good of the public. Our sudden and unceremonious retirement not only stripped us of our livelihoods but has also placed a stigma on our careers going forward and left us grappling with uncertainties regarding our future.” the statement read”
The statement further pointed out that the retirees, families and dependants are suffering untold hardship from actions and inactions perpetrated by certain officers who the governor had rightly assigned positioned to address their matter.
“Many depend on the income provided by these officers for their basic necessities in healthcare, food, housing, and education. With the non-payment of our retirement benefits, except for the meagre monthly pensions, our dependents have been forced to make difficult choices” the statement read.
They further concluded the statement by appealing to the governor to call the attention of the Accountant General, to whom has the approval for payment of their severance allowances.
“We humbly appeal to him to call the attention of the Accountant General, to whom we are reliably informed that express approval for payment of our severance allowances and furniture allowances has been granted to resolve the matter” the statement read.
