*Commends government for abrogating an obnoxious Pension Law the denied retirees their benefits
Okafor Ofiebor Port Harcourt
Amidst the controversies surrounding the recent approval granted to Governor Nyesom Wike to secure N18billion loan by the Rivers State lawmakers to build a Flyover and expand some roads, some Pensioners are appealing to the state government to pay their arrears and gratuities.
In a press Statement, the pensioners who described themselves as “2012 – 2019 group of Retirees of Rivers State Civil Service,” appealed to Governor Wike to alleviate their suffering by paying their pension arrears and gratuities.
In the statement signed by Lucky Ati, their coordinator, the group, 2012 – 2019 retirees said that most of the problems of these retirees were caused by the previous administrations in the state that enacted the contributory pension law without preparation and plans for the implementation of the scheme thereby plunging the retirees into untold hardship.
However, the retirees commended the Governor for the abrogation and amendment of pension laws by subsequent biometric exercise and payment of monthly pension to others.
They appealed to the Governor to make provision for budgetary allocation by increase funding for death benefits, gratuities and allowance to mitigate the harrowing experiences faced by these senior citizens.
The senior citizens, most of who have become frail, aged and had put in the mandatory 35 years in service also commended the impressive developmental works of the Rivers state Governor in Infrastructural development, security, health and education.