Pensioners of the Kaduna State Polytechnic have given the Federal Government an ultimatum of three weeks to commence gratuity payment of retirees who served the institution, threatening to go into the streets if their demands are not met.

At a press conference in Kaduna on Monday, the pensioners, under the aegis of Association of Nigerian Polytechnic Pensioners (ANPP), decried the nonpayment of their gratuity for 42 months, saying the government had no regards for pensioners.

While appealing to the government to listen to the hues and cries of the Polytechnic retirees, they cautioned agencies and individuals responsible for their gratuity disbursement to stop the diversion of funds meant for pensioners.

The chairman of the association, Mr. Zaccheous Adedokun said the inability to pay pensioners their entitlement under Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) had led to the death of many retirees who were waiting for their gratuity.

His words: “Many retirees have died needlessly while waiting hopelessly for the release of their pension. It is clear that it is not spirits that are responsible for this abnormality but fellow human beings who are political appointees.

“Majority of children have dropped out of school and so many pensioners are on sick bed, lying helplessly due to lack of money to access drugs for their ill-health treatment and that of their family.

“Unfortunately some next of kin died while waiting to collect their spouse's death benefits which unfortunately have not been paid till this moment. The situation is quite unfortunate and pathetic. This has brought to the rest of the members of the family untold hardship.” (Daily Trust)