The Rivers State Government has assured retirees in the State that payment of pension arrears will commence by next month.
This follows the protest staged by pensioners at the government house on Wednesday, over the non-payment of their pension arrears and gratuities by the State government.
They had lamented that they were struggling to survive due to untold hardship.
Addressing the aggrieved pensioners, the Director-General of the State Pension Board, Samuel Ijeomah said the State governor, Nyesom Wike has approved the payment of the backlog of pensioners who had completed their biometrics since 2021 and early this year.
According to him, “As of last week, the governor has approved the payment of all of them. About 1000 persons and I’m sure by next week, they will be paid.
“I know the other things that bother retirees is the backlog of pension arrears and gratuities and death benefit.
“I have gotten some information that this payment will commence next month. We will be doing them in batches and the first batch will commence from next month.
“That is the message I want to give to us. This month is already ended. From next month, we will start paying this pension arrears from the beginning.
“We are not going to start from people who just retired, we will start from when we stopped”.
