The Abia State Pensioners’ Forum has decried the continued non-payment of pension arrears and gratuity owed retired workers in the state, accusing the administration of Governor Alex Otti of failing to fulfil several promises made to pensioners.
The Forum made its position known during a press briefing in Umuahia, where its State Coordinator, Barrister Okey Kanu, alongside other leaders including Comrade Emma Onyenyiri, Emmanuel Izundu Chigbu, Gbaruko Victor Okey, Zimiro Nwokocha and Godfirst Umejiaku, appealed to Governor Otti to urgently address the plight of pensioners.
The pensioners urged the Governor to “have mercy and show humanity” to retired workers in the state, asking him to put himself in their position and consider whether he would accept the treatment they were currently receiving.
According to the Forum, pension arrears owed to pensioners who retired before the inception of the present administration in 2023 remain largely unpaid.
The group explained that, as of May 2023, pension arrears ranged from several months up to about 60 months, depending on the year of retirement, while gratuity had reportedly last been officially paid in the state in 2002.
The pensioners argued that pension and gratuity are not gifts from government but constitutional entitlements arising from deductions and years of service.
They cited Section 210 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, stressing that pension rights are constitutionally protected and should not be treated as discretionary benefits.
The Forum also challenged the claim that pension arrears had been cleared, alleging that the payment made by the present administration in March 2024 represented arrears accrued under the Otti administration between June 2023 and March 2024, when pensioners were allegedly paid half of their monthly pensions.
The pensioners, therefore, called for a judicial panel of inquiry to verify claims concerning the payment of inherited pension arrears, saying anyone found to have made false claims should face appropriate sanctions.
The Forum further accused the administration of failing to fulfil a series of promises concerning the payment of pension and gratuity arrears.
It alleged that promises to clear the arrears by December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2024 were not fulfilled, while a subsequent commitment to revisit what the pensioners described as an obnoxious Memorandum of Agreement was also allegedly not implemented.
The group also referred to an alleged statement during Governor Otti’s media chat in September 2025 that no pensioner in Abia was being owed pension arrears, insisting that such a position was inconsistent with the experience of many retirees.
According to the Forum, further promises to pay gratuity by March, April, May and July 2026 were also not fulfilled.
Reacting to Governor Otti’s July 23, 2026 media chat, where he reportedly said funds for gratuity payment were available but that payment would commence in phases after reconciliation of records by the Pensions Board and Ministry of Finance, the pensioners described the explanation as discouraging and indefinite.
They questioned the need for a prolonged reconciliation process, noting that pensioners are issued authorisation letters upon retirement showing their pension and gratuity entitlements.
The Forum argued that if there were discrepancies involving some retirees, such cases could be isolated while payments were made to pensioners whose records had already been verified.
The pensioners also called on the government to give the relevant agencies a definite deadline to conclude the reconciliation exercise, insisting that any administrative reconciliation should not be allowed to delay payment to the entire pensioner population.
On the value of the outstanding gratuity, the Forum lamented that the benefit had significantly depreciated over the years due to inflation and the prolonged delay in payment.
It recalled that gratuity was last officially paid in Abia in 2002, arguing that the real value of the money owed to retirees had drastically reduced over the years.
The pensioners also accused the government of treating their retirement benefits as though they were discretionary payments, insisting that the state government is a debtor to retired workers and should fulfil its obligations.
They further lamented that some pensioners had reportedly died without receiving their retirement benefits, while those still alive require the funds to meet basic needs, access healthcare, support their families and complete retirement projects.
The Forum also questioned what it described as the payment of entitlements to former local government chairmen and councillors who served for shorter periods, while pensioners who worked for decades were still awaiting their retirement benefits.
The pensioners reminded Governor Otti of his previous criticism of former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu over the handling of workers’ and pensioners’ entitlements.
According to the Forum, Governor Otti had during his political campaigns and in previous public statements repeatedly promised to clear pension and gratuity arrears if elected Governor.
The group said the Governor had also strongly criticised the former administration over its alleged failure to use funds from the Paris Club refund and bailout arrangements to offset workers’ and pensioners’ arrears.
The Forum said it was therefore disappointed that, more than three years into the present administration, similar concerns about pension and gratuity arrears were still unresolved.
The pensioners further quoted Governor Otti’s previous appeal to the former Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu to show sympathy to Abia workers and pensioners, urging the Governor to apply the same principle to retirees under his administration.
“We appeal to Governor Alex Otti to have mercy and show humanity to the Abia State pensioners. We urge him to put himself in our position and determine if he will accept and enjoy the same treatment as currently being meted out to us”.
The Forum also called for the implementation of pension reviews in line with the constitutional provision requiring pensions to be reviewed every five years or alongside state service salary reviews, whichever is earlier.
It lamented that some pensioners reportedly receive as little as ₦2,000 monthly, describing the situation as unsustainable given the current economic realities.
The pensioners, therefore, urged the Governor to demonstrate the political will to immediately commence payment of outstanding pension and gratuity benefits, stressing that further delays would continue to erode the value of the money owed to retirees.
They appealed to the state government not to allow the issue of pension and gratuity arrears to be exploited for political purposes, insisting that the welfare of retired workers should remain a matter of humanity, justice and constitutional responsibility.
The Forum, however, urged Governor Otti to fulfil his campaign promises to pensioners and Abians generally, stressing that the infrastructure being developed by the government would be better appreciated by citizens who are alive and able to enjoy them.
