Rivers’ retirees undergo verification for payment of pensions, gratuities

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

Hundreds of pensioners in Rivers on Wednesday trooped to the State Secretariat in Port Harcourt to undergo verification process for the payment of their pensions and gratuities as directed by the government.

This follows the decision of the state government to start paying outstanding gratuity, monthly pension arrears, and death benefits of retirees.

The first batch pensioners being verified are those who retired up to June 2014.

Some pensioners who spoke to our correspondent during their physical screening exercise urged the state government to keep to its promise.

They also advised that the verification process should be well organized to avoid overcrowding, stampede and exhaustion as most of the retirees are old,sick and fragile.

The Spokesman for the Rivers State Pensioners, Mr Lucky Ati, expressed happiness that the state Governor Nyesom Wike finally heed their cry after years of endless protests and agitations by the retirees.

He, however, called for the “harmonization of the Pensions and gratuities and let it not end up as a mere political gimmick because a lot of our members have died without being paid their enticements”.

A statement by the State Government through the Director-General of the Rivers State Pension Board, Samuel Ijeoma, yesterday said the exercise will be done in batches. It said the first batch is for all those who retired up to June 2014.

According to the him, “All affected retirees and next-of-kins for deceased retirees under this batch are to appear for physical verification from June 15-23 with their retirement ID Cards and other relevant documents at the Ministry of Justice Conference Hall”.

Our Correspondent reports that the pensioners had consistently been on the streets of Port Harcourt protesting against the delay in paying their entitlements.