Pensioners in Nasarawa state yesterday staged a protest in the streets of Lafia, the Nasarawa state capital, asking Governor Umaru Al-Makura to pay them 18 months’ arrears of their pension and gratuity. Leader of the protesting pensioners in the state, Usman Ibrahim, explained that the pensioners had been suffering and that over 200 of their members died because of the way and manner the state government handled them.
According to him, for the past 18 months, the government has been paying them 50 percent of their entitlements as against 100 percent they ought to have been paid. The pensioners were seen carrying placards at the Government House gate, one of which read; “We need not die before our gratuity is paid.” They vowed to continue to protest until the government pays their benefits.
