Pensioners under the aegis of Concerned Pensioners in Benue State, on Wednesday, hit the major streets of the town to protest the alleged 75 months of unpaid entitlements.
The protest was the second time in one month the pensioners would throng the major streets of the capital city to demand for payment of their pension and gratuities.
At the time the protesters got to the cabinet office that also houses the office of secretary to the state government, they were denied entry.
Vice chairman of the pensioners, Comrade Stanley Okwanya, who led the protest told journalists outside the gate of the board that they would not relent until their money is fully paid.
“We have decided that every month, we will be coming out until our request is met,” he said.
Speaking on the presence of tight security around them, the group leader said that the presence of police had nothing to do with their demand saying that the police commissioner had no capability to meet their request.
“He only promised us to take it to the appropriate quarters. Already, individuals had gone to court over the matter but not on the union platform.”
Okwanya said, “We are being owed between 38 and 75 months pensions arrears at the state and local governments levels respectively while the backlog of gratuity has become a forgotten issue.
On his part, the Chairman of the Pension Board, Terna Ahua, who received the protesters behind the locked gate, said he would take their complaints to his principal and thereafter respond to them.