UNION LEADER CANVASSES ESTABLISHMENT OF MINISTRY FOR PENSIONERS

By Ambrose Ologide

The Chairman of Nigerian Union of Pensioners, Delta Steel Company (DSC) Sectoral, Branch, Comrade Akpoteghor Iseakpobeje has called for the establishment of ministry of pensioners by both the federal and state governments.

Comrade Iseakpobeje made the call today in a chat with our correspondent at his office along Orhuwhorun Road, Ovwian, in Udu Local Government Area.

He argued   that the  establishment  of a ministry  for pensioners  was line with the establishment  of ministries such as youth and  women affairs  amongst  others and  reasoned that the establishment  of Ministry of Pensioners would meet the yearnings and aspirations  of Nigerian  pensioners even as he took a swipe at state governments  who he said were toying with the welfare of pensioners

Comrade Iseakpobeje disclosed that DSC pensioners had not been paid for 13 years and that 671 DSC pensioners died in agony within the period, adding,  "We protested for nine years. And our protest paid off as 3,542 DSC pensioners were verified by Pension Transitional Arrangement Department in November 2017."

Comrade Iseakpobeje who disclosed further that President  Muhamadu Buhari had given his nod to look into our plights during a visit to him on January 4th 2019 called  for harmonization  of payment  of pension  in the steel industry like in the oil and other industries and that the new minimum wage should be tandem with minimum  pension.

The kokori born unionist appealed to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to rehabilitate what he referred to as highly deplorable state of Steel Town 11, lamenting that the area was out power for over five years, no motorable roads, no pipe borne water amongst other infrastructural development.

"With the privatization of DSC, Steel Township becomes the property of Delta State. So with the re-election of Governor Okowa, we appealed that he should also focus on the development of the area."

He further  appealed  that Governor  Okowa should  consider  DSC pensioners  in the recruitment  of teachers, saying, "If we are too old to be recruited as teachers,  then our children and  wives are qualified  graduates suitable  for recruitment. They are here roaming about unemployed.

He was however full of praises for Governor Okowa over the ongoing renovation of Steel Town 11 Primary School, saying that the completion of the project  would save pupils of Steel Town 11 from trekking to Steel Town 1 Primary School across the ever busy Steel Town Road for schooling