Pay our 8 years pension arrears, Bayelsa retirees beg Dickson

Retirees in Bayelsa State under the aegis of Bayelsa State Pensioners Association (BPA) have appealed to the Governor, Seriake Dickson, to pay their eight years outstanding pension arrears, saying they have lost count of how much they are being owed.

The retirees who decried their impoverished condition, said in the last eight years Gov. Dickson was able to pay only N2.1bn out N3.5bn, being part of the outstanding pension arrears his predecessor, Chief Timipre Sylva, owed them.

Speaking at a press conference in Yenagoa, the President of the association, Alabo Bodi-Amaran, also appealed to the state government to float a pool of revolving nonprofit fund from where pensioners could receive money for Small Scale Enterprises (SMEs) start-ups for those who are willing to do so after retirement.

Bodi-Amaran said retirees in the state had also resolved to support only the candidate who is willing to pay their arrears in the forthcoming governorship election.

He also called on pensioners in the state to be calm and wait for further directive on who to vote as Dickson’s successor, saying they should remain non-partisan and open to wide consultation.

He said, “One of the sad realities pensioners have been subjected to, for almost eight years, is the nonpayment of gratuity, being a welfare package rightly paid every retiree to meet numerous socio-economic obligations after meritorious service.”