Retired Teachers Protest: Frontline Delta Governorship Aspirant, Kenneth Gbagi Condemns Act, Highlights Gov Okowa’s Efforts Towards Teachers, Pensioners Welfare

Coastal News

Olorogun Barrister Kenneth Gbagi, Delta state’s most prominent governorship aspirant, has come out in support of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in the wake of a protest by some people claiming to be retired teachers from the state civil service.
The demonstration took place on Thursday in front of the state event center during a state government-sponsored empowerment program.

On Thursday, videos of ostensibly retired teachers demonstrating at the gate while being surrounded by police went viral. According to some reports, the governor managed to flee the convention center.

Gbagi, a former minister of state for education, told this online publication that the governor did not flee as stated, but that the incident was staged by mischief makers, political opponents, and state foes.

Gbagi, a well-known stakeholder and respected entrepreneur and business mogul, said he had observed the situation unfold and felt compelled to provide a few key explanations.

Governor Okowa can never feel happy going to bed denying any retiree of his pensions, according to Gbagi, who is a stakeholder in Delta issues and is familiar with political intrigues to score cheap political advantages.

He claimed that Okowa, who was raised by a teaching father, could hardly deprive retiring teachers their pensions.
Governor Okowa was confronted with massive liabilities of unpaid pensions when he took office in 2015. He said that Okowa took attempts to verify the data’ veracity by forming investigation committees to analyze the payment owing to retirees.

The verification committee, according to the former education minister, identified a high number of counterfeit, false, and inaccurate pensioner numbers.
“After that investigation was completed, Dr. Okowa went about making payment, but he divided the money into two categories,” he claimed. One payment was for backlog and figures he encountered when he took over in 2015, and the other was for pension payments due to workers after he assumed office in 2015.

“Now, while payments due before his assumption of office as governor have been reduced to no less than 80% of verified and authenticated figures, there is hardly any backlog in the second batch, which he started with as pensioners when he took over in 2015, because he has made an effort to set aside funds to pay them”.

He added that because of perceived bias against the government in power, social media users and individuals who do not want to confront the reality will say a lot of things, adding that “once you are in government, people will say a lot of things about you,” but that “the truth has to be presented to our people”.

“Contrary to misconceptions, people prepared social media information that never transpired on the date in issue,” he said. Okowa, or anyone within a few miles of where he performed the function or his departure from the scene of the incident, was never harassed.

“We’re all aware that the people who booked the buses are political opponents and detractors.” A large number of them are not even seniors, but hired goons who were hired to create the impression that the state was in upheaval.

“It’s sad that anyone may hire goons and hooligans to pose as pensioners on the street.” I agree with the governor, and I believe he does even better than I do, that no senior will be left unattended to or will not receive his pension until the conclusion of this administration in 2023.

“I want the general population to completely dismiss the phony news that is circulating. We all do business, and we all know that the largest problem in Nigeria is fraudulent labor and individuals. Even in our little firms, we discover imposters who aren’t employees, some of whom have died, and who are paid by the establishment”.

The reality is that Dr. Okowa has chosen to save tax payers’ money by refusing to pay hooligans, fraudsters, persons who have never taught, and those who are not qualified to receive state government pensions. “I’m pleading with folks who don’t know who this governor is to look him up.” He’s a godly man with a good heart. He will never be able to do the tasks that have been assigned to him.

“Politicians must keep in mind that if they throw stones because they live in glass houses, the stones may fall on them.” Deltans, I want to assure you that the governor, whose father was a teacher, will never support the rejection of teachers’ pensions.”

Olorogun Gbagi urged all Deltans to disregard “false propaganda,” claiming that the governor has prudently managed the state’s resources for the benefit of all Deltans.
He informed this online publication that blackmail will not help, and that Deltans should be serious in their support for Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa’s government.

In the state, he added, there are three departments that deal with pensions. He highlighted the state bureau of pensions, which receives at least one billion Naira every month in service pensions, as well as the local government pensions board and the head of service with aged pensioners.

According to him, the state government pays out at least N2 billion per month to service pensions. He said that the previous administration contributed a total of N10 billion to the pension fund, but that since Okowa’s election, he has contributed over N40 billion.
“It is consequently incorrect for us to criticise the governor in any way.” The majority of these attacks are carried out by paid agents and thugs who are not members of the pension scheme, all in an attempt to cast a negative light on the administration, according to Olorogun Gbagi.

“As I’ve stated and will continue to say, if Okowa does anything wrong, I’ll be one of the first to speak out against it,” he continued. This, however, is not the case. True pensioners have enabled hoodlums and persons of doubtful character to enter their ranks with the help of political foes.

“Every month, the State Pensions Board receives at least one billion Naira; the local government pensions board and the head of service receive theirs as well.” All of these things are used to pay for pensions. This government has managed the few resources available to help retirees. Okowa will be the last governor in the state to mess with teachers’ pensions. Let us examine ourselves and remove criminals from our midst; negativity is the domain of bad plotters; let us focus on facts rather than blackmail.

“Truth need no publicity other than itself,” they say, and like a small stone dropped into a pond, its waves will eventually reach the situation. The only thing to consider is the stone’s solidity and weight. This Contributory Pension Scheme is extremely costly.” Because of its intricacy, even Lagos state and the federal government owe”.

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