,.
By: Our Reporter, Calabar
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Yakurr I State Constituency in Cross River State, James Eni Ibor, Esq., has faulted the APC-led administration in Cross River State over what he described “as an inadequate show of compassion towards elderly citizens, questioning the rationale behind celebrating senior citizens while allegedly withholding their hard-earned retirement benefits”.
Rather, he described the so- called anniversary gesture as inadequate, saying that senior citizens deserve justice, not political charity
Ibor, in a strongly worded Facebook post following the state government’s celebration of the International Day of Older Persons, expressed concern over the reported distribution of ₦10,000 and approximately 50 cups of rice to each beneficiary.
He, argued that such gestures amount to little when measured against the outstanding financial obligations owed to retired civil servants over the years.
Ibor maintained that the celebration, which ought to provide an opportunity to recognise and honour the contributions of elderly citizens, had instead brought renewed attention to the plight of retirees who, according to him, have continued to struggle with unpaid gratuities despite decades of service to the state.
At the heart of his criticism is the alleged non-payment of gratuities to several retired Cross River State civil servants, particularly those who retired from 2014 onwards.
According to Ibor, “many of these senior citizens devoted the most productive years of their lives to public service, only to find themselves confronting financial uncertainty and hardship at a stage when they should ordinarily be enjoying the benefits of their years of labour”.
He questioned the moral justification for celebrating elderly citizens with token provisions while allegedly failing to fulfil the government’s outstanding obligations to them.
“What is the value of celebrating our senior citizens while denying them the entitlements they spent decades working for?” he asked…
Ibor challenged the government to demonstrate genuine commitment to the welfare of older persons beyond ceremonial activities and occasional financial or material distributions.
“Is ₦10,000 and a few cups of rice supposed to compensate for years of unpaid entitlements? Can a bag of rice pay hospital bills? Can a token handout restore the dignity of a pensioner who has been denied what is rightfully theirs?” he queried.
The Yakurr I hopeful argued that the realities of ageing make the payment of retirement benefits particularly urgent, noting that elderly citizens have increasing responsibilities, including medical expenses, healthcare needs and other essential living costs.
He suggested that the government’s intervention should be measured not merely by the publicity surrounding its celebrations but by its willingness to address the longstanding financial difficulties confronting retired public servants.
In perhaps the most striking portion of his intervention, Ibor drew a distinction between political benevolence and the fulfilment of legitimate obligations, insisting that retired workers should not be made to depend on occasional handouts to survive.
“Our fathers and grandparents do not need political charity; they need justice. They do not need occasional handouts and photo opportunities; they need their hard-earned gratuities paid,” he declared.
His position underscores a broader question about the responsibility of government towards citizens who have spent decades contributing to the machinery of public administration and the development of the state.
According to him, “the payment of outstanding gratuities is not an act of generosity or political favour but an obligation that should be treated as a priority by any administration genuinely committed to the welfare and dignity of its senior citizens
“.
Ibor further maintained that a government that truly cares for elderly persons must demonstrate such commitment through concrete policies and actions capable of improving their living conditions rather than limiting its interventions to symbolic celebrations.
“A government that truly cares for its elderly citizens must go beyond symbolic celebrations. It must honour its obligations to them,” he state.
.
Ibor’s intervention has brought the issue of outstanding retirement benefits back into the public conversation, raising questions about the extent of the state’s obligations to retired civil servants and the urgency with which their entitlements are being addressed.
Beyond the immediate controversy surrounding the ₦10,000 and rice distribution, the central issue remains the welfare of elderly citizens who may have spent decades in public service but are still awaiting financial benefits earned through their years of employment.
While government-sponsored celebrations can provide an opportunity to recognise the contributions of older persons, the PDP candidate’s argument is that recognition must be accompanied by tangible commitments to their economic security, healthcare and dignity.
His remarks also place renewed emphasis on the need for transparency regarding outstanding gratuity obligations, the number of affected retirees, the financial liabilities involved and the government’s plans for clearing any verified arrears.
.
For Cross River’s retired workforce, the ultimate measure of compassion may therefore lie not in the quantity of rice distributed during an annual celebration or the amount handed to beneficiaries, but in whether those who served the state can finally access the entitlements due to them.
