Rivers pensioners protest non-payment of emoluments

Pensioners in Rivers State on Tuesday hit the streets in protest over the failure of the state government to pay their emoluments.

The protest is coming barely three weeks after a meeting between organised labour and the state government reached an agreement leading to the suspension of a planned labour strike.

According to the pensioners, despite reaching an agreement to set up a tripartite committee to address their plights, nothing had been done yet.

The Secretary of the state chapter of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), Joseph Agbo, said the pensioners had yet to know their fate concerning the unpaid benefits.

He said: “When we had a meeting, it was agreed that the issue of pension, including gratuity, non-payment of death benefits; all were included, but until this moment, we don’t know our fate. The committee the government said it will set up; up till now, they have not done it, nothing has been done.

“We have written to the Secretary to the State Government, requesting an audience so that we can explain our problems because if you are not a pensioner, you would not know much about the problems we face.

“But up till now, our letter is just there, they don’t care. The government has no regard for their fathers; that is why they have no regard for pensioners in this state.”