Blind retirees in Kaduna appeal for payment of entitlements

The Nigeria Association for the Blind, Kaduna State Chapter, has appealed to the state government to pay  entitlements of its recently retired members to ease their hardship.

The Public Relations Officer of the association, Malam Ismail Abubakar, said on Thursday that non-payment of the entitlements had worsened the situation of blind retirees.

Abubakar spoke to journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Secretariat, Kaduna, on Thursday.

He alleged that about 30 of the association’s members were  retired or sacked in recent times.

According to the official, many of the affected blind people attended vocational training in Kaduna and Lagos states and had not reached the retirement age.

Abubakar said that their sack and retirement would force them into the streets as beggars in spite of legislation against begging in the state.

He also said that about 60 of the association’s members who were sacked or retired in 2016 had yet to receive their entitlements.

He appealed to the Kaduna State Government to come to their aid, saying that many of  them were  heads of families.

He added that the government could  recall the sacked blind workers.

One of the retirees, Mr Abdulhameed Yakubu from Kaduna North Local Government, said that he was retired in 2016 but had yet to be paid his entitlements.

Malam Ibrahim Rabiu from Zaria Local Government Area who also retired in 2016, said he lost his wife and daughter after retirement due to inability to pay for blood transfusion for the daughter.

“I am now homeless, my landlord has served me a quit notice,” he added.

Mrs Hauwa Hassan, also retired, said she worked for 26 years with Kaduna North Local Government, and  had accepted the retirement in good faith.

She appealed to the state government to pay her entitlements in time to enable her to go into  businesses and take care of her children.