The Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) Pensioners Association embarked on a three-day fasting and prayer last week to seek the intervention of God in the non-payment of their pension and gratuity by the Imo State Government and IBC Management.

The Pensioners decided to go spiritual at their general meeting on Wednesday February 12, 2014 in Owerri.

The IBC retirees are being owed 40 months of pension and gratuity arrears which led to two peaceful demonstrations last year to press for the payment of the arrears after which promises were made by both the government and IBC management.  After several months of waiting the pensioners resolved to take the matter to God for divine intervention.

As if the pensioners are not so sure that their prayers would be answered, they further resolved to embark on another peaceful protest if after two weeks nothing is done by government to clear their outstanding entitlements.

In a press release signed by Comrade Chidi Madu and Dr. Richard Nwoko for Chairman and Secretary respectively, the pensioners regretted that due to many unfulfilled promises by government and IBC management, their members and families have been subjected to untold hardship resulting to the untimely death of many.

A former staff of IBC who was seen hawking fowls at the World Bank Market Owerri during Christmas season noted that the State Government gave N10,000 each to the state civil servants to buy rice for Christmas.

The pensioner, who is now a shadow of his former self, further told our reporter: “The governor even extended the same gesture to federal civil servants in the state and yet not even a cup of rice to pensioners of IBC.  Who needs the rice more – poor pensioners who are owed 38 months arrears or federal civil servants who receive their salaries as at when due?

“I had raised theses two fowls thinking that my family will use them to celebrate Christmas with the understanding that the government will pay us some months of the arrears,  but since nothing is forthcoming, I decided to sell them to buy some cups of rice and frozen fish for my family,” he said almost in tears.

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