Abia state Governor, Dr. Alex Otti,has said the state has paid all arrears of pensions dating back to 2014 which was owed to about 12,500 pensioners.
Otti who disclosed this at Government House Umuahia, vowed that pensioners will never be owed their pensions again.
He assured that Abia pensioners would be receiving their 100% monthly pensions alongside workers on or before the 28th of every month.
The Governor further disclosed that payment of accumulated pensions in the state has greater positive impact on the economy of the state as it has injected money into the system.
He said; "I am glad to report that all pensioners , when I said all, I mean all of them have been paid as at last Thursday. All of the arrears have been taken away.
"The economy works with money. If you are in Abia and you will see that those pensioners who would have been begging 500 Naira, 1000 Naira, 5000 Naira to eat are able to feed themselves today and you recognize the fact that when they spend this money , they spend it in the State.
"So, if you understand the multiplier effect of money ,if you understand that supply can only happen when there is demand and effective demand is that demand that is backed up by cash, then you would have understood what we have done, we have returned power to those that own it and that is the people, and I am happy that our pensioners, close to 12,500 of them have been paid."
Reacting on the pensioners from the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State,BCA,who were allegedly left out in the pension arrears as a result of non verification, the Governor said he was surprised to hear that they were not paid.
He also condemned the report that the BCA pensioners were asked to come for verification but were not verified, stressing that his directives was for all pensioners to be verified in their areas and the sickly at their homes.
He assured that the state government will investigate and do the needful, stressing that the welfare of pensioners in the state would remain topmost priority of his administration.
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