Retirees of the Abia State civil service on Tuesday protested the 20-year gratuity and 38 months pension owed them by successive state governors.
The pensioners took to the streets urging the Federal Government to prevail on the state government to save their lives.
The pensioners who were in all-black attire, weeping and singing retributive songs, marched around the capital city to show their anger.
Chukwuemeka Okezie, the coordinator of the pensioners while addressing newsmen, Okezie said that Monday, June 19, two of their members died “out of starvation by not being able to buy drugs”.
He added that recently, “the state started paying over three months, but a half pension.”
According to him, since 2014, the “total number of unpaid monthly pensions is 38 months, non-harmonisation of pensions from 1998 to 2010, and unpaid accumulated gratuities for 20 years.”
Okezie added, “Who is the Moses that will advise Abia State Government to lead us out of Egypt?”
They, however, pleaded with the Federal Government to intervene by prevailing on the state government to pay them before they die.
