Mrs. Queen Akele, one of the retirees who protested against the abandonment of Delta state government after years of retirement from service, has said that since seven years of retirement as a primary school teacher, she has neither received her gratuity nor any money as pension from the Delta state government.
Mrs. Akele, 70, was seen carrying mat on her head while protesting against the unfriendly action of the state government towards in the state. Se told Emerald News exclusively that she retired from the teaching service on August 31, 2014 and that in January 2015 her file got to the local government pensions bureau but from then till Tuesday, September 8, 2020, it has been one promise or the other.
According to Mrs. Akele who hails from Eku in Ethiope East local government area: “They always promise and fail. They will say don’t worry. The last time we were invited to the bureau we were told that we should go home that the governor was in self isolation. When he comes back they will talk to him.
“They said they want the governor to end well with good name. That was what they told us. Till today nothing has happened. Since 2014 till now, no kobo has been paid. Even my children I managed to train no employment for them.
“My husband died 30 years ago. He was a headmaster before he died. I have three children. They are all graduates. It is only one that is working in teaching hospital, Oghara. I eat zero one zero. That is once a day. On my health matters, today I’m down, tomorrow I’m up”
She told Emerald News that many of their compatriots had died of different ailments coupled with the challenge of battling to get their pension and gratuity while some others are sick at present.
Hear her: “Only God that is surviving me. Many of us have died. Many are down. They cannot sit neither walk. It is the grace of God that is surviving us. 1’m over 70 years old. That is why I have come with this mat that I will lie down here, without good results I will not go home.
“During the lockdown period I have one good man close to me who was giving me food. That helped me to survive. He is Paul Okene by name. If not I don’t know where I would have been by now.
“I want the governor to pay me my pension and gratuity. If I die before it is paid my family will come and sit down and will have authority over what I laboured for. I don’t want it to be so. I want it to be paid. I am from Eku community in Ethiope East. I lost my husband January 1993.”
