Barely three weeks after the organized labour unions in Rivers State and the Rivers State Government reached an agreement which led to the suspension of a planned Labour strike in Rivers State, Pensioners in Rivers State are alleging that the Rivers State Government is yet to implement their own bargain of the agreement.
Secretary to the Nigeria Union of Pensioners Rivers State Council Joseph Agbo told our reporter that the Rivers State Government has not constitute a trapartite committee which was part of the resolution. He also said the council has sent a reminder to the state government on the issue. But have not gotten any response.
” In the meeting, it was agreed that issue of pension, including gratuity, non payment of death benefits, increase of pension will be handled. The committee they decided they will set, up till now they have not set it. We don’t know our fate”
” The union has written to the secretary to the state government, requesting for audience, so that we can explain our problem. Up till now, the paper is just there. They don’t care. They have no regard for their father, that is why they don’t attend to the pensioners of this state” he stated.
The Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners Rivers State Council Joseph Agbo is appealing to the Rivers State Government to act on the resolution in order to ameliorate the plight of the pensioners in Rivers State.
Joseph Agbo also said that the government should find time to constitute the trapartite committee they said they will constitute. So that they can look at the issue of pensioners properly, mainly the payment of gratuity, pension arrears, death benefits, increases on pension rate, and the payment of retired primary school teachers since 2002. Adding that all the state of the federal have paid. But Rivers State Government has not.
