The local government pensioners across the 16 local governments in Kwara state, have cried out to the state governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, to use his good office in the payment of their gratuity.
According to them, the sum is running into about five billion Naira, while their seven-month pension arrears is totaling over two billion Naira.
The State Chairman of the local government Pensioners Association of Nigeria, Isiaka Akanbi, noted that several members have died, as a result of their inability to feed and afford medical bills.
He added that the past seven months had been harrowing as they received between 30 and 50 per cent of their pension monthly.
Mr Akanbi also stated that several attempts to appeal to the Senate President and relevant authorities to wade into the issue, did not yield results.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, Hajiya Sarah Adebayo, has admitted that the pensioners are being owed.
She however blamed it on the economic situation in the country, adding that though the pensioners are not the responsibility of the state government but rather, that of the local governments, the governor has been augmenting the local government allocation on monthly basis in order to offset their debt.
The state government while absolving itself of the crisis, however promised to wade in and offset the allocation to local governments.
