Protesting Benue State Pensioners Reject Benue Speaker’s Plea

Protesting pensioners in Benue State on Monday, rejected the plea by the Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Titus Uba, to shift ground on their 6 day old protest in front of the Government House

The Pensioners on Wednesday 04 September 2019 commenced a peaceful protest in front of the Government House, Makurdi over non-payment of their 25 months pension allowances and gratuities. 

The Speaker of the House of Assembly visited the pensioners in front of the Government House to plea with them to be patient with the state government on their outstanding 25 months pension allowances and gratuities and vacate the Government House as the administration was doing everything possible to pay them.

The Speaker said they are not here to negotiate with the pensioners but to sympathize with them over their plight. As a House, they will not support anything evil against their constituents and they will continue to be on the side of the pensioners. 

The Speaker disclosed to the pensioners that in a meeting with the Governor, the Governor said the pensioners agreed to vacate the government house if paid two months arrears, but the angry protesters shouted the speaker down, saying “it is a big lie.” 

The speaker also told the pensioners that the Benue Pension Commission bill which was expeditiously passed by the Assembly under his watch with its members recently inaugurated by the governor, was targeted at ending the many troubles associated with pension payment in the state. He therefore, appealed to the protesters to accept the governor’s offer to pay two months while more time is given to the new commission to sort out money to end the pensioners nightmare. 

The pensioners rejected the speaker’s plea, insisting that they can only suspend the protest if the state government pays them, at least, six months entitlement.