An association that calls itself Association of Recently Retired Civil Servants have lashed out on the governor of Anambra State, Mr. Willie Obiano, over statement credited to him that he used gratuities to build a befitting airport for the state.
The Retired Civil Servants asked Governor Obiano to pay them their gratuities, which have not been paid then since 2017.
In a note made available to journalists, the group lamented that after the former governor, Mr. Peter Obi cleared all the arrears of pension and gratuities owned retirees since 1990, they thought it was a new dawn for Anambra State.
They, however, regretted that since 2017, Obiano has stopped paying gratuities to those that are retired, thus subjecting many of them to untold hardship.
“Because of this inhuman attitude, some of our members, mostly who are on daily drugs have died”, they wrote.
The group which avoided signing the release, for fear that he may never pay those instrumental to the release, lamented how they sought to meet Gov. Willie Obiano on the subject matter only for him to direct them to see the Head of Service.
“Most of us are retirees and are now confined to our villages. How would a person who has conscience use our entitlement to build an airport most of us would not use?They regretted that speaking on behalf of Obiano, the Head of Service said they should be happy since Obiano was using all available resources, including their gratuities to deliver an airport for the state.
“How many of us entered planes on active service? Is it now that we would enter one?
“How can he even convince us when he told the entire world that Anambra State Government would not contribute one kobo to the airport?
“Is this not cluelessness?’, the group asked.
Reacting to the development in the state, an observer, Mr. Odumodu Gbulagu told ElombahNews:
“There’s no difference between Obiano who deprived our senior citizens of their entitlements and allow them to die, and [former governor] Mbadinuju who called these group of people dead woods!”