The Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki has cautioned pensioners in the state over what he described as slander against his administration in spite of efforts made to settle all their outstanding wages.
Mr Obaseki stated this in reaction to claims made by a delegation of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners, (NUP) Edo State Chapter led by Comrade Polleen Noruwa who visited the Government House in Benin City, the Edo State Capital.
In a speech earlier, Noruwa alleged that Governor Obaseki had during the May Day celebration, made a pledge to clear all outstanding allowances owed the pensioners but was yet to do so.
Read Also: Edo State Govt Is Not Owing One Kobo Of Salaries – Obaseki
On his part, Obaseki reprimanded the retirees for the false claims, saying they were ungrateful despite his administration’s efforts to settle their entitlements.
“Should we pay those who are retired and not pay those working, is it possible. If there was enough money won’t everybody be paid,” he questioned. We are even able to pay what we are paying now and I think it should be appreciated,” he stressed.
The governor also warned that government will no longer tolerate acts of protest by the retired workers and according to him if they keep attempting to stop the system which the government is trying to build “there will be nothing for anybody”.
He, however, restated his commitment to settling all outstanding wages being owed state pensioners as soon as the funds are available.
In a recent interview with Channels Television, Obaseki while stating some of his administration’s achievements in the last seven months, stressed that his administration was not owing “one kobo of salaries”.
“We are not owing salaries, we paid salaries last on the 26th of May. Yes, there are local governments that are having a few challenges and I am working with them to get out of those challenges. Edo State Government is not owing one Kobo of salaries to any of its workers,” he said.
