Published By: Kazeem Ugbodaga
20th April, 2022
By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Scores of pensioners in Rivers State on Wednesday continued their peaceful protest over the non-payment of their pensions and gratuities by the State Government.
The Pensioners had earlier gathered at the State Government Secretariat singing gospel songs and praises seeking God’s intervention to touch the heart of Governor Nyesom Wike and presidential aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Our Correspondent reports that after the intercessory prayers, the pensioners, some of whom were looking frail due to illness and old age, carried placards with varying inscriptions.
They marched from the State Secretariat to the Government House, Port Harcourt to demand their pensions and gratuities.
Some of the inscriptions read: “Gov Wike, pay us our money before campaigning to be President”, “Gov Wike pay us our Pension and Gratuities before Presidential ambition”, and “Rivers Gov. One year after, where’s our tripartite agreement?” “Have fear of God, pay us after 35 years of service” and others.
Our Correspondent reports that the peaceful protest was one among the series of protests that have been carried out by the pensioners since the commencement of Wike’s administration.
Addressing the pensioners, Mr. Ijeoma Samuel, the Director-General of Rivers State Pensions Board explained that Wike had approved the payment for about 1,000 retirees whose biometrics had been captured by the state government.
Also, he disclosed that the payment of arrears from May 2022 had been arranged in chronological order so that those who retired earlier would be paid first.
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