Hundreds of Local Government (LG) retirees in Akwa Ibom State have protested against the non-payment of their pensions for the past four months.
The pensioners displayed placards with various inscriptions requesting for the intervention of the state government in ensuring the prompt payment of their entitlements.
The leader of the retirees, Obong Etta, recounted the ordeal of the senior citizens in an interview with Channels Television in Uyo, the state capital in southeast Nigeria.
In a swift response, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Victor Antai, appealed to the pensioners to be patient with the state government.
He explained that the Ministry had not been able to meet its obligations due to the shortfall in financial allocation to the local governments.
Mr Antai promised that the government would offset the debt as soon as its finances improve, stressing that money had already been released to settle one month.
He stated that the issue was strictly a local government affair as all state pensioners have been paid up to date.
