Members of Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Rivers State council and civil servants in the state, yesterday protested over what they described as insensitivity of Governor Chibuike Amaechi-led administration, to non-payment of pension and salaries in the past two to six months.
The protesters, who besieged the state secretariat at about 9.a.m, alleged that the state governor had refused to respond to the welfare of retired and serving workers in the state.
They said the inability of the government to pay pension and salaries as at when due, had contributed to the untold hardship and deaths being experienced by both serving and retired workers in the state.
The peaceful protesters, who were drawn from ministries of the state government, vowed that they would not relent in their agitation, until their demands were met.
Addressing the protesters, the state Secretary of NUP, Joseph Agbo, condemned the state government for refusing to emulate other states of the federation that had paid salaries and pension till date.
Agbo wondered why the state with internally generated revenue (IGR) of about N10 billion monthly, which was far from what was being generated in some states, could not pay the workers and pensioners.
Agbo used the medium to call on Governor Amaechi to pay up their pensions for the months of January, February, March and April, 2015, before leaving office.
