Disturbed by the delay in the payment of the 53 per cent of 2010 pension arrears to them by the Federal Government, the military pensioners under the aegis of the Nigerian Military Pensioners Association yesterday made a passionate plea to President Goodluck? Jonathan for the immediate payment of their entitlements.
In a statement signed by South-South chapter chairman of the group, Comrade Gabriel Oaikhena, and made available to LEADERSHIP? in Ibadan, the military pensioners lamented that life has been very hard for them in the last few years.
“With deep sorrow in our heart, we are appealing to President Jonathan as our father to see reason with us as to why we should not be allowed to die uncared for, going by our past contributions while in active service as soldiers, especially during the 30-month Nigeria/Biafra civil war between 1967 and 1970 in which over 500,000 of our colleagues either lost their lives or became disabled,” the pensioners said.
“The supreme sacrifice is enough evidence for every right thinking Nigerians, especially those at the corridor of power, to have sympathy for us by supporting our passionate plea for the payment of the 53 person pension arrears by the Federal Government.
“President Jonathan should endeavour to see that we are paid the arrears because we are tired of that language – ‘very soon’? as we see it as a language of deceit , neglect and marginalisation,” the statement read.
They also pleaded with Jonathan to intervene in the payment of the monthly pension which in the last three months has been paid in arreas without any cogent reason by officials in charge.