Pensioners in Delta State have sent a passionate appeal to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, asking him to consider their plight and cause authorities concerned with processing and payment of their gratuities to revert to the B.A. Adigun’s Template.
The appeal was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a joint meeting between Forum of Local Government Retirees (FOLGR) and Association of Retired Primary School Teachers (ARPST) held in Ughelli, Thursday, November 7.
The communiqué was signed by Pst Daniel Onosanimoni, Builder Ekeleni Godwin (Chairman and Secretary of FOLGR) and Prince Gordon Etuwede and Comrade John Egie (Chairman and Secretary of ARPST) respectively.
They called on Governor Oborevwori to use his natural goodness and supportive hand to the downtrodden, which over time has earned him the sobriquet of ‘Street Credibility’, to give a human face to their complaint.
The pensioners had accused the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Kingsley Emu of not doing enough in discouraging the deduction of humongous amount of money from their gratuities when he had the opportunity to do so despite public outcry in protest against the deductions. The SSG in a media statement credited to him denied involvement in the deductions, passing the buck to ALGON.
However, the pensioners arising from the November 7 joint meeting restated the accusation and called on Governor Oborevwori to use his good offices to ensure the refund of the deductions orchestrated by ALGON and others who conspired to carry out the deductions, so that the goodwill of the governor in guaranteeing N40 billion loan facility to ALGON in lieu of the payment of gratuities would not be brought to disrepute.
