‘An Act of Wickedness’: Abia APC Slams State Over 30-Month Unpaid Pension Debt

‘An Act of Wickedness’: Abia APC Slams State Over 30-Month Unpaid Pension Debt

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State has criticized the state government over its failure to pay retirees, disclosing that senior citizens who dedicated their youth to state service are currently owed up to 30 months of backlogged pensions and gratuities.

Addressing journalists at the party secretariat, APC State Publicity Secretary Chief Uche Aguoru stated that there is no financial justification for the non-payment of pensions or the low wages paid to active civil servants, given the current volume of revenue entering state coffers.

According to the party, Abia State receives a combined monthly revenue of between ₦40 billion and ₦60 billion from Federal Allocation (FAAC) and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

“When a government owes retirees as much as 30 months in a time that the state receives tens of billions monthly, that is pure wickedness,” Aguoru said. “The Federal Government makes these allocations available regularly to handle these issues.”

The APC spokesperson pointed out that while the Federal Government is working to adjust the national minimum wage upwards, some workers in Abia State are still receiving monthly payments as low as ₦30,000 to ₦40,000, often accompanied by months of unpaid salary arrears.

The party urged the state government to show empathy and prioritize the prompt settlement of all outstanding debts owed to pensioners and civil servants.