Delta Assembly grants Oborevwori’s N40bn Loan request to defray unpaid Pensions

Delta State House of Assembly has granted a request from Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for a credit facility of N40 billion from Zenith Bank Plc to defray the backlog of pensions owed retired primary school teachers and local government employees in the state.

The governor stated in a request letter to the House that the credit facility was aimed at assisting the 25 councils in the state to defray a substantial part of accrued rights of local government pensioners.

The Speaker of the House, Emomotimi Guwor, who read the letter at plenary said the approval was part of conditions relevant in accessing the facility.

The governor at a meeting held in his office with council chairmen and other stakeholders resolved that a credit facility be sourced from the commercial bank to pay the retirees.

He explained that the Zenith Bank had availed the 25 councils the said facility in a prorated manner, in tune with their respective indebtedness to pensioners for which offer letters had been served to all the chairmen by the bank.

House Majority Leader, Emeka Nwaobi, harped on the need for the credit facility, stressing that payment of backlogs owed the council pensioners would put smiles on the faces of many homes in the state.

Nwaobi disclosed that the non-payment of pensions had sent a greater percentage of retirees to their early grave in the past, stressing on the need for the lawmakers to approve the request from the Executive in order to stop the development.

The Minority Leader, Edafe Emakpor, and the member representing Bomadi constituency, Oboro Preyor acknowledged that it was necessary for the government to address challenges faced by pensioners at the council level.

The House finally granted the request following a motion by the Majority Leader,  Emeka Nwaobi and seconded by the Chief Whip, Perkins Umukoro.

Guwor commended the lawmakers for their support for early attention to the request, reassuring of a robust synergy between the state Assembly and the executive for greater socio-economic development of the state.