Wetin dey happen for Benue State? E be like say dem pensioners don tire for the way dem dey treat dem o! Na so the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) for Benue State come drop serious wahala for Governor Hyacinth Alia. Dem don give am 14 days ultimatum, say if dem no see dem unpaid pension arrears, dem go show face for Makurdi for two days protest, wey go happen on January 22 and 23, 2026!
Na dem State Chairman, Comrade Michael Vembe, and the State Secretary, Comrade Saater Bur Nyamgen carry di letter drop on January 7. Dem talk say dis ultimatum na the result of meeting wey dem hold since September 2025. Wetin e mean? E mean say di pensioners dey vex bad, as dem dey suffer from unpaid pension for up to 138 months! Chai! Wetin dem wan use survive for this kind wahala?
Dis matter no be today, as dem dey complain say past government no pay dem well since time. E dey show say some local government pensioners fit dey over 96 months behind, while state pensioners dey look face for 42 months. E be like say na only dem state pensioners waka go collect di 5 months wey Governor Alia approve, while di local government pensioners dey look dem like say dem no dey important. Wetin bi dis na?
As e be now, di union don really complain say di government no gree harmonise di pensions wey dem dey receive. Dem dey complain say di N32,000 minimum pension wey federal government talk say make all states follow no fit reach dem hand for Benue. Na wetin dem dey see for state civil servants wey dey collect N70,000 minimum wage, but pensioners dey collect small chop. Some dey see as low as N2,000 monthly! Chai! Na so dem retired Permanent Secretaries go dey enjoy as dem dey collect over N300,000 while di old workers dey manage N7,000!
If dem no meet di pensioners demands by January 21, 2026, e go be serious gbege for di streets of Makurdi, as dem go carry dem selves comot from all 23 local government areas. Dem don even send letters go key government officials and security agencies, say make dem follow up because dis wahala fit turn fire if e no resolve.
Blow na blow! Dem don talk say di protest go happen at places like Benue State Pension Commission, di Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and di Government House for Makurdi. Na who no go listen? Na di question we dey ask. How e go be if dem old men and women wey don serve di state come dey gather smoke for di street? Make we see wetin go happen by January 22 o! Omo, I go keep you updated as di matter dey unfold!
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