‘Weep Not, Child’ is a novel by Ngugi Wa Thiong’o. Highly emotional and a message of hope. Today in Kogi state, the message is ‘Weep Not, Grandfathers and Granmothers’.
The suffering inflicted on retired local government workers has been ignored by the people and government of Kogi state simply because they are vulnerable and cannot do anything. They feel they are voiceless and powerless. They feel they are weak and have no strength to fight or even protest.
These set of elderly people have served the state with their strength and abilities. They have sacrificed their time to bring up politicians, doctors, architects, engineers only to see these products riding up to reward these pensioners with hardship and agony.
No one is free from those preparing their vouchers to those approving 35% pension for over three years now. It is very sad to note that many pensioners cannot afford a mudu of gaari with the stipends given to them. These people are weak and tired. They cannot work or beg for food. They have been dying but those who refuse to die are suffering from diseases that are terminal and expensive.
How on Earth can people be so heartless to pay pensioners as low as N2000 a month? The state pensioners are paid fully but what’s the offence of these local government pensioners that they are made to suffer while other states are paying fully, paying gratuity and even harmonising Pension. Have they forgotten that pension must be harmonised every 5 years?
If they can not be paid their gratuity to them when on earth, they should be entitled to their peanuts in full. Heartless politicians and office/account clerks who are feeding fat, building mansions, riding Toyota cars at the expense of both dead and living pensioners should know that one day is one day, they must give account.
To those unionists compromising the welfare of their colleagues, one day is one-day. To our heartless politicians who feel pensioners are not worthy to live or enjoy their sweat, one day is one day.
God bless our elder statesmen.
– Comrade Joseph Elesho writes from Isanlu, Kogi State.
