As if the various curses rained on Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa by unpaid pensioners across the State have started coming into effect, the governor has commenced a blame game of sort, accusing the Deputy President of the Senate and APC governorship candidate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, of sponsoring unpaid Delta retirees’ protest.
It would be recalled that since 2015 when Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa took over the reins of power in the State, he has denied the senior citizens of their pensions and gratuities, even when at different times, he has obtained loans for the purpose of clearing the over N40 billion backlogs of seven years unpaid entitlements.
The New Diplomat learnt that after several unsuccessful attempts to persuade Gov. Okowa to have compassion on them and pay them their mounting retirement benefits, the pensioners resorted to spiritual attempts, invoking God’s wrath on the governor for as long as he continues to deny them of their rights and benefits.
Recently, Gov. Okowa through his Commissioner of Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, accused Senator Omo-Agege of sponsoring women to protest non-payment of pensions of primary school retirees in the State.
However, responding to the spurious allegation, the spokesman of the Delta State All Progressives Congress, APC, campaign council, Olorogun Ima Niboro, advised the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, to stop chasing shadows and pay senior citizens their pensions and gratuities who have spent the useful part of their lives to serve the oil-rich state meritoriously.
Niboro who described the allegation as baseless, unfounded and of no serious attention, expressed regret at the ill-treatment meted to pensioners by the Okowa government, promising them that the administration of APC gubernatorial candidate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, will give them a better deal and place high premium on clearing outstanding pensions and gratuities.
“Was it Omo-Agege that made them not pay pensions? Is it Omo-Agege that is making them take loans in billions to prosecute PDP Presidential Election, while pensioners who gave their entire lives in the service of the state remain unpaid? Some have died or are dying in abject penury. Do you need anyone to sponsor hungry people to pour out on the streets?
“Okowa keeps chasing shadows, always leaving the real issues and blaming everyone but his incompetence and insensitivity to the plight of our people.
“Omo-Agege doesn’t need to sponsor anyone. Anger, bitterness and sheer suffering is sending people into the streets.
“We advise Okowa to change his ways. Delta State has never had it this bad,” Niboro stated.
The former Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) also dismissed allegation by PDP Governorship candidate, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori that Omo-Agege’s reign as Secretary to the State Government was characterized by ‘parochialism and abuse of power’.
According to Niboro, Omo-Agege distinguished himself in all his appointments, adding that the Delta Central lawmaker not only invented ways to uncomplicate governance, but also instituted the process of ease and transparency in state parastatals and institutions during his reign as SSG.
