Anambra State Withhold Retiree's Pension

Twenty-two retirees from Anambra State Government have appealed to Governor Peter Obi to release their three-month  pension allowance.

The allowance was allegedly withheld by the state government after the retirees approached the Appeal Court, Enugu,  challenging the decision of a state High Court to endorse their ejection from their quarters in Awka.

The pensioners are accusing the state Head of Service, Mr. Chidi Ezeoke, of giving the directive to withhold their May, June and July pension allowances without the consent of the governor to intimidate them to withdraw the appeal they filed against the state.

The  HOS was not in the office  when our correspondent called for his reaction to   the allegations. Also, workers at the office  refused to  give  out his telephone number when our correspondent requested.

Counsel for the pensioners, Mr. Ben Osaka, said intimidating or harassing the pensioners for any reason concerning their case against the government over the estate was  an infringement on their fundamental human rights

He argued that the case in court had nothing to do with the pension of the senior citizens.

Osaka said, “What the officials of the government who allegedly ordered  the withholding pensioners money should have done  is to wait for the outcome of the Court of Appeal case before they start harassing and intimidating the pensioners by withholding their monthly allowance or doing any reconstruction work on the disputed houses, we are sure the do not have the consent of the Governor before they did that.”

Spokesman for the pensioners Mr. Charles Onyeagba,  said, “Having served the state and retired without any problem, there is no justifiable reason for anybody to seize or withhold their monthly pension allowances.”