A group of senior citizens under the umbrella of Concerned Benue Pensioners has rejected the N611 million payment proposal by Governor Samuel Ortom to pay April and May 2019 pension arrears.
The group, a faction of the National Union of Pensioners (NUP), rejected the governor’s proposal on Friday as they occupy the Benue State Government House in Makurdi, the state capital.
The protesters have been occupying the Government House for the third day running, an action they began since Wednesday.
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Governor Ortom, who had been out of the state, arrived to meet with the factional group of pensioners at the Government House.
He explained the challenges the state has in meeting its financial obligations, especially with total arrears of over N51 billion pension and gratuity.
Governor Ortom disclosed that he has directed the payment of April and May 2019 pension arrears, but the pensioners insisted on occupying the Government House gate.
Addressing reporters, Chairman of the group, Mr Peter Kyado, demanded that the pensioners be placed on a first-line charge before payment of salaries to civil servants.
He was responding to Governor Ortom’s proposal to source N40 billion bond to clear the pension arrears which stand at N18 billion, in addition to the two months payment.
In a twist of event, the state chapter of NUP alleged that the leadership of the Concerned Benue Pensioners was being used by opposition parties to cause crisis.
The state chairman of the union, Mr Joseph Ikyume, accused the Kyado-led group of mischief, partisanship and creating confusion within the union.
He insisted that the group had been suspended from the NUP and has lost its case at the National Industrial Court.
