By Omar Bah
At least thirty-seven former soldiers have issued an ultimatum for the Gambia Armed Forces to settle their unpaid allowances. The retired soldiers of Intake 32 are demanding the payment of their gratuity, leave encasement, and WOPS—widows orphans pension scheme.
“We see no reason why it should take the army this long to pay our entitlements after making several attempts to get our payment including meetings with the top brass of the army. We are giving them one week to pay us, or else we will come out and protest. Enough is enough,” former Lance Corporal Alieu Sowe, who spoke on behalf of the group, told The Standard.
According to Sowe, most of the unhappy soldiers retired at the ranks of Lance Corporal and it has been four months since they completed their twelve years of service in the military.
“We have formed delegations and met senior officers of the army on three occasions, but they could not tell us anything sensible. Whenever we go there, they will promise to sort us out. Now we are tired, but before embarking on any strike, we want the Gambian people to know what is going on,” he said.
