Wike Orders Immediate Payment of Gratuities, Pensions to Rivers Retirees

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has ordered the immediate commencement of payment of outstanding gratuity, monthly pension and death benefits for retirees in the State public service.

In a statement  yesterday, the Director General of the Rivers State Pension Board, Mr. Ijeoma Samuel, revealed that the exercise will be done in batches.

“The first batch is for all those who had retired up to June 2014. All affected retirees and next of kin for deceased retirees under the first batch are requested to come to the Ministry of Justice conference hall for physical verification from 15th-23 June, 2022.”

The DG urged those in the first batch of the exercise to come along with their retirement identification cards and every other relevant supporting documents.

He insisted that the exercise is strictly for only those covered under the first batch which are retirees up to June 2014.

Samuel said: “We don’t want a situation somebody who retired in 2020 will be paid first before the person who had retired in 2014. We have adopted the principle of  first retired, first paid .

“We want the entire exercise to be credible. There shall be no preferential treatment. There will be no jumping of queues. After the first batch, we will immediately commence the next batch.”