‘Cross River owes no verified pensioner’

 Nsa Gill, Calabar

THE Cross River State government has said all verified pensioners have been paid.

The clarification followed Monday’s protest by about 100 pensioners who blocked a major highway, causing a temporary gridlock.

Commissioner for Local Government Affairs Mrs. Stella Odey, who addressed the protesters, promised that genuine pensioners will be paid once they undergo screening and are captured in the payroll. She said the periodic screening became imperative following the discovery of ghost pensioners in the payroll.

According to her, no verified pensioner is owed. She, however, urged the protesters to cooperate with government by submitting themselves for screening.

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The commissioner hinted that workers manning the pension board were directly drawn from the local governments as demanded by the pensioners

She said: “The governor is passionate about pensioners; we have not owed their pension for one day. We have not owed any pensioner, as I speak to you.

“If you have not been screened, you cannot be paid. That is why we say come and do screening, so that we can capture you as a pensioner. Do you know that government has been paying so many ghost pensioners? That is why we are doing screening.”