Skip to main content

Workers, pensioners besiege Rivers secretariat over unpaid salaries



Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi
Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi
CIVIL servants and pensioners on Wednesday besieged the Rivers State Secretariat in Port Harcourt to protest the non-payment of their salaries and pension arrears by the state government.
The protesters had moved in droves to the secretariat at about 9am, even as workers refused to attend to anybody that sought their assistance at the secretariat.
The protest caused a gridlock for some minutes as workers and pensioners chanted war songs, calling on the state government to pay their salaries and pensions.
One of the leaders of the protesting workers, Mr. Tony Ochiagha, told journalists that the protest became necessary as a result of the two months salaries owed them by the state government.
Ochiagha pointed out that it was the first time in the history of civil service in the state that workers would be owed for two months, adding that the third month was already approaching.
He stated that pensioners, who were owed five months pension arrears were also going through tough times as they could no longer afford to pay their bills and feed well.
Ochaigha said, “We are talking to the Rivers State Government who is our employer. The civil service is the engine room and the platform on which every administration functions. So, why would they play on the impulse of the civil service?”
Also, the state secretary of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners in Rivers State, Mr. Joseph Agbo, said pensioners in the state had not been paid for five months.
Agbo urged Amaechi to pay them before leaving office, adding that apart from the five months being owed pensioners, other arrears such as the 14 per cent, 15 per cent and 38 per cent increases had not being paid, even when they had been computed and sent to the governor for action.
“Pension is a right and not a privilege. Before the governor came on board, salaries of civil servants and pensioners were regular, but all these are no more.
“We have, on six occasions, had demonstrations in the past over the anomalies and our members are dying without getting their entitlements,” he added.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

DEFECTIONS: Why Saraki, Dogara Others Must Heed Sen. Ibrahim's Call by Comrade Nwokoma Ndubuisi M.

The gale of defections in the National Assembly last week was followed by an advice from no one else than Sen. Abu Ibrahim that the Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki as well as the Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara and others in the fold of the All Progressives Congress APC that are still masquerading in the party should resign their membership of the party. This call which also implies that they resign their positions as leaders of the various arms of the National Assembly is yet to be complied with by those concerned as at the time of writing this piece Whatever their reasons for still staying put in the party may be, the fact of the matter is that their continued stay in the party has become a sore which must be extricated from the body.  As I watched through the proceedings of the defections on national television, I wept for the country for producing such leaders that lack morality despite all the party has given them politically which they ordin...
Post a Comment
Read more

Group Hails Hon. Karimi For Proactive Representation.

A socio political group in Kogi State known as the “Yabga Youth Movement” has hailed his member representing Yagba East/ Yabga West/ Mopa-Muro Federal constituency for his proactive representation of the people of the Federal constituency at the green chambers of the National Assembly. Honorable Sunday Karimi is of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP. The group through its National coordinator Mr. Adedayo Juwon said the way and manner the second term member of the House of Representatives has supported his constituents’ needs in terms of efficient representation and outreach is worth commending. He said the group will not hesitate to reciprocate such gesture to the member in order to achieve the overall wishes and aspirations of the people of the area.  Mr. Juwon who made his position known on the law maker in a press statement made available to newsmen in Abuja said the group was making its position known so posterity will know that the lawmaker is performing very cr...
2 comments
Read more

Support For GEJ: C C Okirie Commends PDP In Rivers State

A frontline politician in Rivers State Chief Chukwuma Chinwa Oikrie has commended the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers state under the leadership of Bro. Felix Obuah (Go Round) for the support the party has given to President Goodluck Jonathan’s second term bid. Chief Okirie made this known at Omoku Town the headquarters of Ogba/ Egbema / Ndoni local government area over the weekend when the Party opened the Campaign Office of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in the LGA. While thanking the state Chairman for his support, Chief Okirie stated that with the support the President has received from the party in the state, there was even no need for him to come and campaign personally.   “With the tremendous support the people of the state have accorded the President, I think he should go and rest. It is even immaterial if he comes to campaign personally because the people of the state are behind him. We will give him the traditional 100% votes we have alway...
Post a Comment
Read more