Abia State Governor Alex Otti has pledged to re-evaluate the state’s agreement with the Nigeria Union of Pensioners regarding the settlement of pension arrears.

Speaking at the 80th birthday thanksgiving service of Senator Chris Adighije, Otti acknowledged concerns about the NUP agreement raised by Rev Ernest Onyeukwu, emphasising that pensioners were honest but their leadership remains problematic.

The governor recalled how his administration allocated N10bn to clear outstanding pensions but was met with resistance from union leaders.

The state government and the pensioners have been at loggerheads over the decision of the government to pay part of the pension arrears agreed with the NUP leadership.

Speaking at the birthday ceremony, Otti said he was happy that the cleric understood and narrated what transpired between the government and the leadership of the NUP.

“I want to thank you (the priest) for the positive comments that you made about the government. Thank you for calling our attention to the issue of pension that had become problematic and I want to thank you for being honest and that is what it is.

“You can’t agree on something and then come to say that you didn’t agree. You can’t sign and say you signed under duress, particularly for our senior citizens.

“I have maintained that our senior citizens and pensioners are very honest people, very very honest.

“The problem is with their leadership and the problem of the leadership has to do with their association,” Otti stated.

Otti, who said the preacher was correct in saying that no pension was paid in Abia State in 2018, recalled how he paid N10bn to defray the arrears owed by past administrations.



https://punchng.com/otti-revisits-pension-deal-abia-assembly-probes-school-fees/