Ex-Customs officers send SOS to Yar’Adua

By Akin Durodola - 14.01.2008

A group of retired Customs officers, who are resident in Ibadan, Oyo State, has sent a Save Our Soul (SOS) message to President Umaru Yar’Adua and the National Assembly over the continued non-payment of their retirement benefits, six months after being compulsorily retired.

The officers are among the 2, 500 that were retired a few months ago by the Federal Government under the re-organisation programme across the states of the federation.

In a letter sent to the President and the National Assembly, a copy of which was made available to journalists in Ibadan, the officers related the experiences some of them had gone through as a result of the non-fulfillment of the government’s pledge through a circular which had stipulated that “all parastatals will continue to pay the monthly salary of retired staff pending the payment of their gratuities”

Signed by Messrs Ayorinde R.A., Alawode G.A. and Adesina A.R. (Chairman, Secretary and PRO respectively), the officers who claimed that they were retired through a letter referenced NCS/ABJ/ AP & D/ 94/S.4/ Vol. XXVI/1541 of may 21, 2007, said “we the retired offiers resident in Ibadan on behalf of others are now begging the president, the Accountant General of the Federation and all concerned authorities to please pay our retirement benefits.”

According to the PRO, who retired at the Bachic Zonal Headquarters, “there is a prevailing poverty and hopelessness among the recently retired staff as many of them are unable to make ends meet.”