Pensioners in Rivers State, operating under the banner of Rivers Civil Pensioners (2012 to date), have temporarily suspended their planned street protest after the State Sole Administrator met part of their long-standing demands.
The group had earlier threatened to demonstrate if the government failed to settle death benefits and implement a new salary structure. However, speaking in an interview with our reporter, the group’s coordinator, Mr. Isaac Urang, revealed that the decision to call off the protest followed the payment of the newly approved pension salary structure.
“I thank the administrator for the ₦32,000 monthly payment he approved, covering May to July. That was why we decided to suspend the protest we had planned,” Urak explained. “We still use this opportunity to appeal to him to consider other aspects of our demands. Many retirees, some of whom left service as far back as 2012 and 2014, have not been paid a dime in gratuities or pension arrears. This accumulation of backlogs is becoming a heavy burden. Many pensioners are dying, leaving their money behind.”
Mr. Urang urged the state government to take additional steps by settling unpaid gratuities, clearing pension arrears, and paying death benefits to the families of deceased pensioners.
“Since the inception of this administration, death benefits have not been paid to anyone. Many next of kin survive solely on that money, and it is unfair to deny them after their loved ones served the state diligently,” he stressed.
The group is also appealing for a state-sponsored free medical programme for pensioners, citing their vulnerability to health challenges due to age.
“Most of us are over 60 years old and constantly battling various health conditions. The little pension we get is barely enough for survival, let alone medical care. The government should intervene,” Urang pleaded.
While the recent payments have brought some relief, the pensioners insist that their struggle is far from over, warning that protests may resume if the outstanding issues remain unresolved.
