No fewer than fifteen retirees from the Anambra State-owned newspaper has received cheques for payment of their accumulated 25-year-old gratuities and pension.
A letter from the Managing Director, Anambra Newspapers, publishers of the Light, Sir Chuks Nnebuife, to the Commissioner of Information and Communication Strategy, Ogbuefi Tony Nnachetta, disclosed that the release of the cheques were facilitated by the office of the Accountant-General.
According to the letter, the retirees were the first batch to receive their cheques on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, adding that more will collect theirs on Sept. 5, 2017.
"Since the creation of Anambra State in 1991, almost 170 workers that retired in the establishment were unable to receive either gratuity or pension, largely due to administrative mix up.
"When the attention of Gov. Willie Obiano was drawn to the lapse, however, he directed for prompt solution to be taken which led to wiping tears from the eyes of the retirees,’’ the letter said.
Responding, Nnachetta said it took doggedness of the governor to identify the problem as well as his benevolence to raise funds to settle the accumulated arrears amidst dwindling resources.
