Our Pensioners Need the Respect 1

I am one of the many Nigerians that have secretly belittled my country and state-Rivers State-in particular. I used argue that our governor ain't doing much for the unemployed as well as our aged parents- The Pensioners- in our state BUT with regards to the younger generation, I've had a little change of heart.

Nevertheless before I get there I need to plead with the powers that be to have a rethink with regards to The Pensioners. On a number of occasions, I've had the chance of accompanying my late father to either pick up his pension or just reporting to The Secretariat for Pensions Audit with The Abuja Team.

 Now how does it sound to the ordinary man and people in corridors of power that Mr A who retired from Rivers State with pension of =N=3000.00 be asked to come down all the way from Kafanchan for audit when his transport fare in this Era of Fuel subsidy stress etc would cost him an awful lot of kudi, owo, ego? Haba! Why can't we copy certain good modes of operation of some advanced countries?

My dad who left the UK back in the 70s got a phone call in 2009 thereabout by a pensions' officer from London to ascertain that he was still alive, yet his own people lack such courtesy.

 I saw young men carrying their sick fathers with drips to show the elderly men were STILL alive, haba na wetin be this kind palaver? Did they commit any offence in serving the state?

 I had to get a chair for my darling father to sit and ran around for him-got his number, went photocopying, stayed on the line and when it was his turn, called him in. WHAT ABOUT THOSE MEN WHOSE CHILDREN COULDN'T FOLLOW THEM?

 I even saw veteran news woman Nimi Tom-Manuel who brought her blind dad from interior villa into town to prove that he was still alive at the time. This is unacceptable.

Why can't the government establish liaison offices to help these elderly people?

Why can't the government help our fathers and mothers and bring the photocopying machines downstairs to where everything's happening free of charge?

 Why can't they lecture their staff to try their best possible to RESPECT these men and women?

 We all by God's grace will get old one day. No one need remind us of The Law of Karma. We should not allow an elder curse us because this MOUTH-ONU, O di powerful oh!

As for we the youth, we are young. Like a post in one of PTP's face book pages, If there is no work Make one. It may be easier said than done but If we stop and think for a minute and try and lay down our arms, pick up our pens, tune up our voice(s), my people I tell you E go better. Nothing comes free. We must strive hard before we get that Golden Fleece. Make we try. God bless