Benue Pensioners Protest Unpaid Arrears, Regret Funding Alia

Pensioners in Benue State protested on Wednesday against the non-payment of outstanding gratuities dating back to the year 2000, expressing regret for funding Governor Hyacinth Alia's nomination forms. The protest, organized by the Benue State Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, was triggered by the governor's failure to fulfill promises made in 2022.

The pensioners, carrying placards, demanded the payment of arrears that range from 38 to 62 months, citing non-harmonized pension rates as stipulated in Section 210 of the 1999 Constitution. They alleged that pensioners receive only N2,000 monthly instead of the approved N40,000, leading to severe hardship.

The protesters called on President Bola Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu to intervene and ensure the state government addresses their demands. The backlog of unpaid pension gratuities in the state is reported to stand at N300 billion, the highest in the country.