The Chairman of the Cross River State chapter of the National Association of Retirees of State Government of Nigeria (NARSGON), Daniel Effiom, has lamented that many retirees have died, while struggling to survive on monthly pensions of N4,000, N5,000 and N6,000.
Key Highlights
- Cross River NARSGON chairman Daniel Effiom says many retirees are struggling to survive on monthly pensions of ₦4,000, ₦5,000 and ₦6,000.
- He said some retirees cannot afford drugs and basic necessities, while others are still awaiting outstanding entitlements.
- Effiom appealed to the APC state chairman, Christopher Etta, to urge Governor Bassey Otu to release outstanding gratuities and address pension disparities.
- He described the situation as a matter of hunger, sickness and avoidable deaths among retirees.
- Governor Otu assured retirees that another tranche of gratuity payments would be released before December 2026.
- The governor said his administration remains committed to progressively clearing the backlog of retirees’ outstanding benefits.
He revealed that some retirees cannot afford drugs and other basic necessities, while others continue to wait for their entitlements,
Effiom stated this in a message to the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Christopher Etta and made available to our reporter in Calabar on Friday
Effiom, who urged Etta to prevail on Governor Bassey Otu to urgently release outstanding gratuities and address the disparity in pension payments across the state, maintaining that “what can such monies do for a living human being?
“There’s so much hunger and sickness. And many are dying undeserved deaths every day. Our members are really suffering in Cross River State. Some are earning N4,000, N5,000, N6,000, etc., as monthly pensions.
“We need our entitlements urgently, please,” stressing that retirees should not be treated as “spent forces” because they remain relevant to the state.
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He said his appeal follows unsuccessful attempts to reach the APC chairman by telephone, adding that he believes Etta could use his position to draw the governor’s attention to the plight of pensioners.
The NARSGON chairman also reminded the APC chairman that retirees constitute a significant voting bloc in the state and have dependants who could be influenced during elections.
Meanwhile, Governor Otu has assured retirees that his administration is making arrangements for the release of another tranche of gratuity payments before December 2026.
Otu gave the assurance while receiving a delegation of elders led by retired Colonel Pam Ogar, former military administrator of Kwara State.
While expressing appreciation for their visit, counsel and endorsement of his administration, the governor said he felt “a very heavy burden” sitting before the elders because of the sacrifices they had made in building the state.
Otu said his administration remains sensitive to the plight of retirees and is committed to progressively clearing the backlog of their outstanding benefits.
