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Pensioners protest unpaid arrears, gratuities, threaten to occupy Rivers govt house

 

Pensioners in Rivers State on Wednesday staged a protest in Port Harcourt to demand the payment of their gratuities.

The pensioners who are mainly retirees from 2015 till date commenced their protest from the Rivers State secretariat complex and intended to march to the Rivers state government House before the Commissioner for Police Friday Eboka intervened.

Some of the aggrieved pensioners including their coordinator, Lucky Ati told journalists that they decided to protest against the Rivers State Government for allegedly denying them their pension arrears and gratuities since the inception of this administration.

The pensioners complained that their members are dying in numbers on a daily basis while their children are sent out of school.

“Some many people have died, over three hundred, children are out of school, marriages have broken, so what do we do”? Asked a protester.

Another pensioner lamented “we have retired from 2012 to this present year, we have not been paid, not even our pension arrears not to talk of the gratuities”.

Addressing the protesters, the commissioner of police pleaded with them to suspend the protest and promised to convey their message to Governor Nyesom Wike for quick intervention.

“I have listened to all you have said and I assure you that I will take it up from this place. I will carry all your grievances that you have articulated and carry it up to the governor to look into your plights”.

The Commissioner appealed to the protesters to rescind their decision to occupy the Government House.

The pensioners, however, threatened to return to occupy the government house in two weeks if the government fails to address their demand.

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