Controversy surrounds pension payment to 5,300 Akwa Ibom retirees

Controversy surrounds pension payment to 5,300 Akwa Ibom retirees

No fewer than 5,300 retired primary school teachers and the next-of- kin of deceased teachers  in Akwa Ibom State have yet to receive their pensions estimated at N28bn.

This was as the state government allegedly denied its indebtedness and had at several fora shifted the responsibility to the local government areas.

The backlog include pension and gratuities, 7.5 per cent refundable pension, promotion arrears and leave grants.

 Speaking with Saturday PUNCH in Uyo on Thursday, the leader of widows/next of kin of deceased teachers in the state, Mr Benjamin Benson, said it was the responsibility of the local government to pay, but the local government had no access to the fund because it was being managed by the state government.

According to him, the state government had denied its indebtedness and at certain points shifted the responsibility to the local government areas.

He said, “It is a very controversial issue in the sense that the present administration has not paid gratuity and pension of retired primary school teachers and the next-of- kin of deceased teachers until the March verification exercise.

“For pensioners in the state civil service, former governor, (Godswill) Akpabio, paid up to 2015 and from that time till now, one would have expected that in the seventh year of Udom Emmanuel’s administration, having received the Paris Club Refunds, he should have paid at least up to 2019 or 2020. But he has managed to pay just one year.

“But between 2010 till date, the present administration did not pay until the verification exercise in March, where it was discovered that the state government owes N28bn as gratuity and pension to retired primary school teachers and next-of- kin of deceased teachers.

“Till date, the state government only paid N600m and this amount is not even up to one per cent of the total amount that is being owed. This is a very serious issue because the state government has denied its indebtedness and said it is the responsibility of the local government areas.’’

Reacting, the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Frank Archibong, said the state government had paid three tranches of N200m, making a total of N600m.

Had the previous administrations shown the same commitment, he said the backlog would have been cleared by now.

He disclosed that an additional sum of N250m had been released for the payment of retired primary school teachers in the state.

“Are you not aware that three-tranche payment has been done already? Yes, only N600m has been paid out of N28bn. You are saying only N600m; is it this administration only that owed such an amount? Is it not the accumulation since 1999? We paid what we had and we promised them that we would continue to pay.

“As we speak, we have another N250m that will soon be paid. So, it is not that we have the money and refuse to pay. So, what you said is not correct. If other administrations had shown the same commitment that this administration is showing, the backlog would have been cleared by now,” he stated.

 

PUNCH