Court Nullifies Okorocha’s Slash Of Pensioners Pay, Says It’s Illegal

By Matthew Don
The National Industrial Court, Owerri on Wednesday, July 5 nullified the slashing of payments of pensioners of the Imo State Public Service as contained in a form issued by the Imo State government to pensioners to sign accepting the so-called payment cut.
Justice Olufunke Anuwe of the National Industrial Court ruled that Governor Rochas Okorocha and his government acted beyond their powers by compelling retirees to forfeit a sizable part of their pensions, 60 per cent cut in all.
The suit was filed by the Imo state civil service retirees under the aegis of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), challenging the government for asking them to forfeit a percentage of their pension .
In the originating summons, the NBA, Imo state branch which went to court pro Bono on behalf of the pensioners deposed that “the state government acted unconstitutionally by asking the claimants to fill a form forfeiting their pensions by 60 per cent and 40 per cent respectively according to categories.”
The NBA asked the court to set aside the letter/form prepared and distributed by the Imo State government based on the directive of Governor Okorocha, addressed to the Accountant-General and entitled ‘`Letter of Set off in Respect of my Outstanding Pension ”
Initially some retirees collected the reduced percentage but decided to challenge what they described as blatant injustice and they found a a ready ally in the NBA which went to court on their behalf. Okorocha had defended the payment cuts describing it as “payable pensions of Imo formula’’,
But the Industrial Court has declared the Imo Pension Formula unknown to law thereby clearing the way for the senior citizens to receive their full pensions and other entitlement after serving the state meritoriously for many years.
Following the ruling, jubilation rented the air in different parts of the state yesterday, with many of the pensioners dancing and other raining curses on the government over the inhuman policy.