Rivers Pensioners Hail Wike For Authorizing Payment Of Three Months Pension Arrears

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has been commended for approving the payment of three months pension arrears to pensioners in the state.

Wike had on Saturday ordered the Accountant General of the state to commence the payment of the pension arrears owed retirees in the state by the Rotimi Amaechi administration.

The Nigerian Union of Pensioners, NUP, Rivers chapter, while commending the governor, thanked him for showing love to pensioners.

The state NUP Chairman, Mr. Edward Festus-Abibo, who described the immediate past administration in the state as unfavourable to pensioners, lamented that while some pensioners in the state died heartbroken as a result of the non-payment of their pension arrears, a few others had taken ill over the situation.

“The governor’s order that our three months pension arrears be paid is a very welcome development. This shows that he (Wike) has sympathy for the elders, who have spent most of their lives working for the state.

“The immediate past era in the state were the dark years and dark days of pensioners. Posterity will judge the immediate past administration. As I speak to you, some pensioners have died while most of them are hypertensive. The non-payment of their pension worsened their condition.

“We as a group will make out time to visit the governor to thank him for remembering pensioners and ordering that their pensions be paid at a critical time when it was reported that he (Wike) met an empty treasury”, Festus-Abibo said.