‘Mother Of All Protests’ Over Unpaid Pensions, Gratuities, Others By Governor Okowa, Premature Death Of Members
All the plans have been concluded by the Concerned Delta State Local Government Contributory Retirees Forum to embark on what it called the "mother of all protests"
Our Protest is to draw attention to what the forum described as "failed N10 billion promises" made by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as well as the death of its members over the past eight months.
Well, According to the forum, Okowa who is the vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), in the forthcoming 2023 general elections, in March promised to release N10 billion to retirees for the payment of their pensions, gratuities and other entitlements but has failed to fulfil his promise eight months after.
Through the enlarged meeting on Wednesday in Ughelli, the forum warned Okowa that should he fail to fulfil his promise within the next one week, he should be ready to witness the ‘mother of all protests’ in Asaba, the state capital in the next few days.
The communique obtained by SaharaReporters reminded the governor of his promises and the death of some of the forum's members. It noted that some of them suffer from stroke, diabetes, and high and low blood pressure without money to take care of their medical needs.
It said,"Local government contributory retirees have issued a notice to the Delta state governor and vice-presidential candidate of the PDP, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa warning that should the Delta state government further fail to keep her promise of releasing the sum of N10 billion, the government would be confronted with the mother of all protests at Asaba any time soon.
"The senior citizens recalled that since the March protest staged at the gate of the Govt House, Asaba on March 10, 2022, during which the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Sir Patrick Ukah and the Chief of Staff to the governor, Rt Hon Festus Ovie Agas Esq pleaded passionately for time to dialogue with the governor with a view to intervening to effect payment of their retirement benefits, nothing has been heard from the State government up till date.
"Eight months have passed since then and nothing is heard from the State government. It is quite sad and painful that seven of our members have died since the March protest, some are experiencing several stages of illnesses such as stroke, diabetes, and high and low blood pressure and have no money to take care of their medical needs. We, therefore, reminded the state government led by Ifeanyi Okowa who is the state governor and vice-presidential candidate of the PDP, of the release of N10 billion promise he made to retirees during the March 10, protest."All the retirees said they were aware that a court injunction was imposed on the state government restraining it from collecting the proposed loan facility of N150 billion, part of which was intended for the release of N10 billion to clear part of the accrued benefits of the retirees. They noted that they were also aware that the restraining order had long been vacated.
"We have also been mindful of your political ambition and the competitive political scheming for your election as the vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and hence our restrain for the past eight months. But should the state government fail to keep to her promise of releasing the N10 billion, it shall be confronted with the mother of all protests at Asaba by the retirees in the month of November 2022,"they warned.
The Delta state government through its information commissioner, Charles Aniagwu in July 2022, shortly after a repeat protest staged by the forum at the Government House gate, denied responsibility for the demands of the retirees. He said the protesters were not retirees of the state government but primary school retirees under the local government councils.
And according to him, the protests were targeted at maligning and impugning the reputation of Governor Okowa's rising political profile.
