After waiting endlessly for their entitlements and alleging disrespect for Supreme Court judgement, more than 3000 retirees of Nigerian Ports Authourity (NPA) have sent a Save Our Soul (SOS) letter to President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene in their matter.
In the letter which was signed by a leader of the retirees, Engr. Sylvas Okoro, a copy of which was sighted by our correspondent last week, the 1991 group of retirees disclosed that their members have been dying in droves after waiting endlessly for their pensions, gratuity and redundancy benefits.
Giving an insight into the extent of their agonies since they were prematurely disengaged in 1991 on account the aborted desire of the government to commercialize NPA, they said that there are daily reports of members losing their lives, even without receiving their entitlements.
“As we are crying, report reaching us through the Vice Chairman of Warri Port, Mr. C. Tunde is that Warri Treasurer, Mr. Iwuji is dead; aged 66 years, leaving four children behind and members have been weeping over his death as one of the pioneers of the meeting. The children are accusing NPA for the death of their father for non payment of pension on time”.
“Mrs. Margaret U. E. Okong died, age 56 from Akwa Ibom, leaving six children. Her next of kin, Master Promise regretted the death of his mother for not eating the fruit of her labour before she died.”
“The Vice Chairman of Calabar Port, Mr. Lawrence Asuquo who reported this said that Calabar Port has witnessed the death of over 65 of 1991ex-staff of NPA and he believed the same number of staff would have also died in Port Harcourt Port due to hardship and refusal of NPA to pay our pension on time.”
“Mr. Henry Ikah, age 64 years from Cross River State died as a result of hardship, hunger and starvation, leaving five children behind. His next of kin, Dominic Nyong Akiba said he regretted watching his father dying without getting his right from NPA. His father promised to train him when he receives his pension, but he is no more”.
“The lives of our members are deteriorating badly. Our members’ healths are diminishing as a result of hunger and starvation. Some have caught with partial stroke and cannot be able to move about. Our families are deserted due to poverty, 20 years after disengagement and non-payment of our pension, gratuity and redundancy benefits”, the letter stressed.
In an apparent reference to the various interventions, the retirees queried the refusals of the management of NPA to pay their entitlements
“If we are not entitled to pension and gratuity, why did Supreme Court give judgment in our favour? Can the judgment of the Supreme Court be in vain? Can the Senate directive be in vain over our payment of pension? Can the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation directives be in vain? NPA refused and neglected all these orders up till date”, they lamented.
“We appeal to the Federal Executive Council and the President Dr. Jonathan Goodluck to intervene over our pension urgently to alleviate our suffering and untimely death due to hardship. We are entitled to 20 years pension arrears”, the letter pleaded.
“We appeal to the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and the Federal Executive Council, to promptly come and liberate the 1991 retrenched staff of Nigerian Ports Authority by ordering NPA management to implement the Supreme Court judgment, the aged ex-workers pleaded in the petition”, the retirees stressed.
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