Scores of pensioners allegedly die waiting for Gov. Wike to pay N70 billion pension arrears

Dozens of pensioners have commenced visit to media houses, after series of protests in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, seemed to have failed to yield any response from relevant authorities.

The cry for help, according to their leader, Lucky Ati, has become necessary, as hunger and death stare their members in the eyes.

Ati, told Africa Update that retirees from the Rivers state government who left service in 2015 have not received their pensions and are being owed pensions and gratuities, amounting to over N70 billion.

Narrating that most members are dead due to hardship and frustration.

Ati stated  that the contributory pension scheme should be scrapped because the state government has been unable to make its own part of the contribution, thereby making it impossible for pensioners to receive their pension.

He said the state government was owing over 2, 000 pensioners under the Contributory Pension Scheme in an excess of of N70 billion and lashed out at the government under the administration of Governor Nyesom Wike for not taking the issue of their indebtedness as a priority.

He lamented that even though Wike had been receiving numerous awards for bearing the sobriquet “Mr Project” for executing numerous infrastructure in the state.

He noted that Wike has failed woefully for not remembering senior citizens like them who have toiled for over 30 years of their lives serving the state.