Retirees in Abia State have turned to fasting and prayer as a last resort in their battle for unpaid pensions and gratuities.
These pensioners, members of the Abia Pensioners’ Forum, concluded a three-day intercessory programme on Wednesday in Umuahia, seeking God’s intervention in their long-standing struggles.
The group’s prayers were not limited to their grievances; they also sought blessings for the state, Governor Alex Otti, and Nigeria as a whole.
The retirees, many of whom have endured financial hardship for years, filled the air with soul-stirring Christian hymns during the event.
Rev. Success Obinya of the City Liberation Centre in Aba served as the guest speaker for the programme.
He encouraged the retirees to remain hopeful, assuring them that their cries had reached heaven.
Quoting Proverbs 21:1, Obinya said, “The king’s heart is in God’s hand. He will direct it to do the right thing.”
The cleric assured them that their faith would compel the state government to address their grievances.
“When the right hand of God is upon any man, He can turn around any situation,” Obinya declared confidently.
**A Long Struggle for Justice**
The retirees have been demanding the payment of 45 months of pension and gratuity arrears owed by previous administrations.
The Abia Pensioners’ Forum, a subgroup of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), has been vocal in its fight for justice.
Earlier this year, the state government reportedly signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the state NUP leadership to waive the arrears.
However, the NUP denied any agreement to forfeit the payments, describing the claim as baseless.
The forum’s coordinator, Mr. Okey Kanu, said the pensioners had explored various avenues to have the arrears restored.
“We wrote to the governor and his wife, appealed to prominent individuals, and even held a press conference,” Kanu explained.
Despite these efforts, he said, no progress had been made.
“It was our press conference on September 11 that made the world hear us,” Kanu said, visibly emotional.
Speaking on behalf of the pensioners, Kanu expressed gratitude to Governor Otti for ensuring the regular payment of monthly pensions.
However, he criticized the purported decision to forfeit their arrears, describing it as “ungodly.”
“To say that these retirement benefits are waived or forfeited after 35 years of labour is unacceptable,” Kanu stated.
The group decided to embark on fasting and prayer after exhausting all other options.
“Our theme for this programme is: ‘The king’s heart is in God’s hand,’ because we don’t have any power of our own,” Kanu said.
The retirees are not only seeking justice but also appealing to the conscience of the government.
Kanu and other members of the forum urged Governor Otti to revisit the alleged agreement and reverse the decision to waive their entitlements.
“We are simply asking for what we worked for. This is not charity; it is our right,” Kanu added.
