Mr Luke Obi Ezea
By Tony Edike
Several retired civil servants in Enugu State have expressed profound gratitude to Governor Peter Mbah following the payment of their long-awaited retirement gratuities, which had remained unpaid for years under previous administrations. The retirees, some of whom had waited for more than two decades after leaving service, described the ongoing payment exercise as a dream come true, saying they had almost lost hope of receiving their entitlements while still alive.
They spoke during the ongoing disbursement of gratuity arrears by the Mbah administration, which inherited a huge backlog of unpaid retirement benefits from previous governments. One of the beneficiaries, Mr. Luke Obi Ezea, who retired in 2014 after 35 years in service, said he had resigned himself to fate after waiting for years without receiving his gratuity. Ezea said he had continued praying to God to keep him alive long enough to receive his retirement benefits, expressing joy that his prayers had finally been answered under the Mbah administration.
Mrs. Sussana Emehelu
“I had lost hope of receiving my gratuity; hence I left everything to God. But I kept praying that I would be alive to receive it. God has answered my prayers as Governor Mbah has come to our rescue,” he said.
Describing the payment as a dream come true, Ezea praised the governor for fulfilling his promise to retirees, describing him as a man of his word and an action-oriented leader.
Another beneficiary, Sunday Nwadi from Uzo-Uwani local government area, who also expressed appreciation to the state government, said the prolonged delay in receiving his gratuity had subjected retirees to terrible experiences and financial difficulties.
He, however, noted that the situation had changed since Mbah assumed office, particularly commending the governor for ensuring that monthly pension payments were up to date. According to him, previous administrations often owed pensioners several months of their monthly entitlements, leaving many struggling to meet their basic needs.
“Today, I thank God that we have an amiable governor, a listening governor. Today, I am rejoicing because I have received my gratuity. Governor Mbah is also not owing monthly pension. He is up to date,” he said.
He added that the governor’s intervention had restored hope and brought smiles to retired civil servants and their families, praying for God’s protection and continued blessings upon him.
Also, Mrs. Sussana Emehelu narrated the emotional experience of her family, saying her husband, who retired in 2013, had yet to receive his gratuity and was currently in poor health. She explained that when the family heard that the state government had commenced payment of outstanding retirement benefits, her husband immediately asked her to visit the relevant government office to confirm whether his gratuity was ready.
Mrs Emehelu
According to her, her husband had previously feared that he might not live long enough to enjoy the benefits of his years of service. “When we heard the news that pension is being paid, he asked me to hastily go to the office to collect his pension. He said his expectation to collect his gratuity while alive had become a reality,” she said.
Mr. Sunday Nwadi
Emehelu said she was overwhelmed with joy when she arrived at the office and discovered that her husband’s name was among the beneficiaries. She expressed appreciation to God and Governor Mbah for remembering her family after years of waiting, adding that only God could adequately reward the governor for the gesture.
The reactions underscore the emotional and financial implications of the prolonged non-payment of gratuities on retired civil servants, many of whom spent decades in public service but were unable to access their retirement entitlements for years after leaving office.
The Mbah administration has commenced the clearance of the inherited gratuity backlog as part of efforts to fulfil its commitment to retirees and restore confidence in the state’s pension administration.
The ongoing exercise has brought relief to beneficiaries and their families, some of whom had waited for more than 20 years for payments that represent their legitimate entitlements after years of service to Enugu State.
