Abia Pensioners Demand Judicial Probe Into Alleged Unpaid Pension Arrears

The Abia Pensioners Forum has faulted claims by the Abia State Government that it does not owe pension arrears, calling for the constitution of a judicial panel of inquiry to investigate the controversy surrounding the alleged payment of outstanding pension liabilities in the state.

The forum’s Coordinator, Barrister Okey Kanu, made the call while addressing journalists in Umuahia, insisting that members of the group were prepared to appear before such a panel and present documentary evidence to substantiate their claims.

The call followed a disagreement between the pensioners and the state government over whether pension arrears inherited from previous administrations have been fully settled.

While the forum maintains that some retirees are still owed accumulated pension arrears, the state government has challenged those making the allegation to provide documentary evidence of any outstanding payments.

Kanu said a judicial inquiry would provide an appropriate and independent platform for both sides to present their records, clarify the areas of disagreement and establish the facts.

“We hereby call on government to set up even a judicial panel of inquiry to show the seriousness attached to this,” Kanu said.

According to him, anyone appearing before the panel should be required to give evidence under oath and be held accountable for any deliberately false claims.

“We are calling for a judicial panel, not even an ordinary panel. Let anybody who makes a false claim face the consequences of the law,” he said.

Kanu also declared that he was personally prepared to be the first person to testify before the proposed panel and submit documents supporting the forum’s position.

“I will be the first person to appear before that judicial committee of inquiry to show what we are talking about,”
“We are not politicians. We are not exaggerating anything. Set up that committee. We have our papers.”he said.

The forum had earlier accused the administration of Governor Alex Otti of failing to completely address inherited pension arrears and gratuities, despite commitments made before the administration assumed office.

It acknowledged that the Otti administration has maintained regular payment of current monthly pensions but argued that the dispute centres on accumulated arrears allegedly inherited from previous administrations, as well as outstanding gratuities.

The pensioners maintained that resolving the disagreement through an independent inquiry would help determine which retirees had been paid, the periods covered by such payments and whether any outstanding liabilities remained.

Reacting to the allegations, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, said the state government was not aware of the Abia Pensioners Forum making such claims.

He noted that the pensioners’ body recognised by the government is the Concerned Abia Pensioners, which, he said, represents close to 80 per cent of retirees in the state.

Ekeoma acknowledged that gratuities remain outstanding but said the government was already working towards resolving the issue.

He, however, disputed claims that pension arrears remain unpaid and challenged those making the allegations to produce evidence.

According to him, if members of the Abia Pensioners Forum maintain that the government still owes pension arrears, they should produce records establishing the alleged outstanding payments.

The government’s position therefore draws a distinction between outstanding gratuities, which it acknowledges and says it is working to settle, and pension arrears, which it disputes.

The Abia Pensioners Forum, however, insists that it has documentary evidence to support its position and maintains that a judicial panel would provide an opportunity for the competing claims to be independently examined.

The controversy is therefore centred on whether inherited pension arrears remain outstanding and whether the state government will accept the pensioners’ call for a judicial inquiry to determine the facts and resolve the dispute.