President of BPA, Mr Alabo Bodi-Amaran, gave this assurance while addressing newsmen at the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) at the Press Centre on Thursday in Yenagoa.

He called all pensioners in the state to be calm and await further directive on who to vote as governor on Nov. 16.

He said: “BPA remains non-partisan but will continue to fight for and protect the interest of pensioners by being opened to consultations.

“We are not deterred but rather strengthened to keep pushing on until succor comes our way.

“One of the sad realities pensioners have been subjected to, for almost eight years is non-payment of gratuity.“

He said that this would help retirees to meet their numerous socioeconomic obligations after meritorious service.

“It is obvious that government’s refusal to pay gratuity is a deliberate attempt to impoverish senior citizens, whose crime is clearly that we diligently serve the state,” he stated.

The president appealed to the Bayelsa Government to harmonise the payment of pension in the state.

“It is common knowledge that what we receive as monthly take-home does not take us home in the actual sense, it rather takes us into indebtedness resulting in misery and pain.

“In spite of this, without due consultations, government unilaterally and arbitrary deduct our monthly pay for Bayelsa State Health Insurance Scheme and the State Education Trust Fund,“ he said.

According to him, it is government’s obligation to cater for her senior citizens not forcefully taking monies of the aged to fund state responsibilities.