Pensioners In Rivers State Protest Non-payment Of Gratuities

 Pensioners in Rivers State have stage a peaceful protest over the non-payment of their gratuities and ten years pension arrears

The retirees, who were seen in front of the state secretariat carrying placards with different inscriptions written on them, bemoaned the untold hardship they have faced since 2012 till date.

They noted that since 2012 over 300 pensioners have lost their lives due to government's non-compliance with its side of the tripartite agreement reached.

The retired Civil servants, however, argued that every effort to make the government pay fell on deaf ears even as complaints lodged at different quarters prove futile, leading to the peaceful protest.

Some of the protesters, Mr. U D Moses and Mrs Cordelia Amadi who spoke with our Correspondent vowed to continue with the protest until the Governor met up with their demands.

 We retired in 2015 and from that time till now, we have not been paid our gratuities , some of us were  owed 3 years pension arrears and some of us 7 years.

"We have suffered for the state. Is it a crime to give in 35 years of our lives to this state?

" We have made effort through different means to reach out to the Governor but to no avail. We even met with some elder-states men to help us appeal to him but the Governor paid deaf ears. 

"We will continue this protest until he pays us, he set up a tripartite committee, and until now we have not heard anything from him.

We have lost over 300 pensioners from 2012 till date."

Addressing the protesters ,Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Eboka Friday, appealed to them to sheathe  their swords while he communicates with the governor.

"We have articulated all your grievances and I am aware that some of you retired since 2012 until now you have not gotten your gratuities.

" I have listened to you and I want to assure you that I will pick it up from this place because very soon I will retire and if they  do not take care of you, you will not take of me. 

" I will carry your grievance all you have articulated and pass it on to the governor to look into your plight. 

In his reaction, the spokesman for the pensioners , Mr Lucky Ati, gave the government two weeks to expedite action. 

" This does not mean that we are going out today we will not return here again if they do not comply, we will still come out.

"We are only suspending this protest today and if for any reason nothing is done. We have died enough, we don't want to die again.

"We are giving them 2 weeks. In the next 2 weeks we will gather here if nothing is done".

Mr Ati said  the protest will only be  suspended for the moment and would resume if nothing is done.