By Chuks Peter, Delta
Retirees of Delta Steel Company (DSC) in Ovwian/Aladja, Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, have voiced their distress over severe hardships, including years of power outages and inadequate pension payments.
These retirees, who have been in retirement since 2005, are appealing to President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for urgent intervention to save their lives.
At a General Congress held at Steel Town Secondary School, the President-General of the Delta Steel Community, Samuel Otiteh, reiterated the need for unity among the retirees to effectively address their issues.
“We came here to form one union. There have been three unions within the company, so the Congress decided we should unite. Our entitlements are not harmonised, and many of us are underpaid.
“This unified body will negotiate with PTAD and other relevant bodies to rectify our pension payments,” he stated.
Otiteh highlighted the suffering of the DSC pensioners, noting that many cannot afford basic medical care due to the meagre pension payments, resulting in numerous deaths.
“Our people are suffering. The little peanuts they pay us are insufficient to even treat minor ailments, leading to many deaths. We are pleading with the Federal Government to respond to our cries to reduce the death rate in the Steel Town community,” he said.
Deacon Daniel Ayomah, another retiree, stressed the urgent need for adequate medical care, attributing the high mortality rate to the hazardous conditions they endured while working in the steel plant.
“Working in a steel company is hazardous. Without proper medical care, we cannot live long. We used all our youthful years working here, and today, we are not receiving adequate pensions.
For the past 10 years, we have had no electricity. We need the Federal Government and Governor Oborevwori to help DSC,” Ayomah appealed.
The Secretary-General of the community, Jonathan Tuomeru, urged Governor Oborevwori to address flooding issues by directing authorities to unblock water channels and canals.
Assistant Woman Leader and retiree, Margaret Edeogu, highlighted the plight of women and families in the community. “Our husbands and children are suffering.
“We are forced to do hard labour to support our families because our pensions have not been paid since 2005.
The DSC community calls for immediate government intervention to alleviate their suffering and improve their living conditions
