Pensioners in Rivers State have threatened to embark on a peaceful protest following the state government alleged refusal to implement series of minimum wage consequential adjustments accruing to Pensioners over the years.
The State chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners Comrade Collins Nwankwo in an interview with our correspondent appeals to Governor Siminialayi Fubara to adjust the arrears of retirees in the same way he approved increases for civil servants.
He explained that the law mandates a corresponding increase in pension arrears whenever workers’ salaries are raised. He expressed concern that some pensioners still receive as little as one thousand naira as monthly pension arrears. despite the competitive markets they all go to feed their families and wondering how they have been surviving theses years,
He also accused the Rivers State Government of neglecting pensioners in the state. saying other state which are in Lesser financial strengths as Rivers state is implement Retiree’s adjustment but rivers state surrounded with so much income from oil revenue and derivatives. He lamented that the union is pained that despite efforts made to reach the state governor to highlight some of their suffering have been blocked by his aides.
He said Rivers State government have always treated issues of Pensioners and senior citizens very poorly and the need to embark on protest so that their voice can be heard
Also speaking with our correspondent the state Secretary of the union Dr Joseph Agbo lamented that despite the monthly pension payment, some Retiree go home with as little as one thousand naira monthly due to government Refusal to upgrade or adjust the pension Increases
Dr Joseph Agbo said that the state government owes pensioners over twenty billion naira and that as of 2019 when Rivers pension debt was computed and compiled, the Rivers state government owed pensioners over 120 Billion naira before the last governor, Nyesom Wike started paying Partly sum of Of Monthly One Billion Naira Which has just been increased to Two billion because Governor Fubara just until recently added another one billion to make it two billion which is still a far Cry to the huge amounts owed pension Gratuity, death Benefits and Pension Arrears owed workers who had put in 35 Years of meritorious services to the government during their prime which the government is allegedly is neglecting
Dr Agbo added that efforts to meet with the Governor to address the backlog of pension arrears and gratuities have so far been unsuccessful. He accused the chairman of the Pension Board of acting alone as if he is the sole board member
Recall the state government had few days ago announced the payment of Eighty five thousand naira as minimum wage to the River state civil servants as monthly pay which correspondent Anita Ogona confirms that the state workers in November attested to receiving the consequential adjustment to their monthly pay package