The Rector of Abia State Polytechnic, Dr. Christopher Kalu Okoro has promised retirees of Abia State Polytechnic Aba, that their pensions will be paid promptly under his watch.
Dr. Okoro made the promise on Tuesday during a verification exercise at the school premises to ascertain the real retirees from the institution.
He said the importance of the exercise is to prune out irregularities he encountered while going through their payment schedule.
He said, “Late last month, the government informed us that our salary will no longer be through subvention, now they will be paying us directly from the central coffers moving us to the central payroll unit (CPU).
“We also tried to find out what about our retirees, and they said that they are going to add retirees after verification.
“The salaries of those in active service were paid last Friday.
“I demanded to have access to your schedule because I was having it that you are going to be paid soonest .
“What I saw when I got the schedule was not clear to me and I cannot pay what I don’t know. And if things must be done right, it must be done right.”
While reassuring the pensioners, the rector said he had plans to pay them the same day active workers in the school are paid and revealed that paying them won’t be a hassle as their pension money for the next six months is intact.
“Since I have decided that under my watch that the same day that active workers are paid is the same day you will be paid, I must see to it, and in so doing, I must be sure of what I’m paying.
“I called on your chairman and also the secretary and informed them on the situation of things. I have the money to pay your pensions for the next six months.”
He however revealed that the reason he is interested with prompt and timely payment of their pension money is because he is product of it as his late father trained him from primary school to tertiary level from the money he got from his pension.
“Why am I so much interested in the payment of your pensions, let me tell you a brief history that might interest you.
“My late father retired in 1979 and he collected pension till 2009 when he died that is for 30 years and during this period was the period I passed through primary school, secondary school and the university.
“So I was trained with pension money. Based on that, your prompt payment is too important to me.
“Under my watch by the grace of God, you will not be owed. The government has promised us that by the 28th and 29th of every month, they will pay us. I can assure you your pension money will not cross the next day, meaning that for this month, once I’m done with this verification by Friday I will pay you on Friday and by next week, I will also pay you for this month.
