RIVERS: PENSIONERS PROTEST AGAINST AMAECHI; VOW NOT TO VOTE FOR APC
Pensioners in Rivers state have carried out a protest in Port Harcourt, the state capital against what they alleged as poor administration of the Amaechi’s government.
The pensioners are protesting the non-payment of their allowances since November, 2014.
Chairman of the Association of Rivers state pensioners, Edward Abibo decried the
insincerity of the Governor Amaechi led administration, adding that the p...ensioners held a meeting with the Commissioner for Finance which proved abortive.
Pensioners in Rivers state have carried out a protest in Port Harcourt, the state capital against what they alleged as poor administration of the Amaechi’s government.
The pensioners are protesting the non-payment of their allowances since November, 2014.
Chairman of the Association of Rivers state pensioners, Edward Abibo decried the
insincerity of the Governor Amaechi led administration, adding that the p...ensioners held a meeting with the Commissioner for Finance which proved abortive.
Elder Abibo said many pensioners were being impoverished because of the failure of the Rivers state government’s non-harmonization of pensions from 2003 till date valued at three billion naira.
Abibo said, “We the pensioners numbering about 11,000 felt very aggrieved by the actions of the Rivers state government headed by Governor Rotimi Amaechi over non-harmonization of pension from 2003 to date valued at N3billion. Non-payment of monthly pensions allowance for Nov-Dec 2014.
“We are now pushed to the wall hence our going to the public for sympathy and appeal to the government for payment of our allowances”
“We are aware that the Rivers state government collected about N13billion from federation account in December 2014 and raised about N10billion from IGR, we are therefore at loss why the pensioners should be made the sacrificial lamb of the political adventure of Governor Amaechi.
“We have come to the conclusion that Governor Amaechi has not shown any kindness to the pensioners by his utterances and actions.
“Pensioners have therefore resolved that while we will not renegade in our civic responsibility as far as elections are concerned, but we will reciprocate the negative reactions of the governor in our votes if there is no change of attitude of his government towards pensioners.
“That we shall carry out peaceful demonstration and as much as pur strength will allow us and block the Ministry of Finance from where the Rivers state funds are squandered to other states and political adventure.
Some pensioners who chanted anti-government songs, spoke with DAILY POST . They expressed sadness at what they described at the insensitivity of the government to issues concerning the masses in Rivers state.
“Amaechi is punishing us. We are dying. He swore that he will not pay us and he has not paid us.
Another woman said, “We will not vote for Dakuku. Dakuku is the one that will suffer it. We could not celebrate Christmas because we don’t have money. Our petty businesses have suffered. We don’t know what to do.”
As at the time of filing this report, the Rivers state government is yet to react to the protests by the pensioners.
Abibo said, “We the pensioners numbering about 11,000 felt very aggrieved by the actions of the Rivers state government headed by Governor Rotimi Amaechi over non-harmonization of pension from 2003 to date valued at N3billion. Non-payment of monthly pensions allowance for Nov-Dec 2014.
“We are now pushed to the wall hence our going to the public for sympathy and appeal to the government for payment of our allowances”
“We are aware that the Rivers state government collected about N13billion from federation account in December 2014 and raised about N10billion from IGR, we are therefore at loss why the pensioners should be made the sacrificial lamb of the political adventure of Governor Amaechi.
“We have come to the conclusion that Governor Amaechi has not shown any kindness to the pensioners by his utterances and actions.
“Pensioners have therefore resolved that while we will not renegade in our civic responsibility as far as elections are concerned, but we will reciprocate the negative reactions of the governor in our votes if there is no change of attitude of his government towards pensioners.
“That we shall carry out peaceful demonstration and as much as pur strength will allow us and block the Ministry of Finance from where the Rivers state funds are squandered to other states and political adventure.
Some pensioners who chanted anti-government songs, spoke with DAILY POST . They expressed sadness at what they described at the insensitivity of the government to issues concerning the masses in Rivers state.
“Amaechi is punishing us. We are dying. He swore that he will not pay us and he has not paid us.
Another woman said, “We will not vote for Dakuku. Dakuku is the one that will suffer it. We could not celebrate Christmas because we don’t have money. Our petty businesses have suffered. We don’t know what to do.”
As at the time of filing this report, the Rivers state government is yet to react to the protests by the pensioners.
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