Opinion
The Imo Pensioners’ Dilemma
One would have sworn that it was one of those fallacious stories that constantly make the rounds on the social media. How could it have been possible to believe that a state government would compel old, weak, retired workers to forfeit 60 percent of their pension arrears “due to economic situation in the country presently “.
But then, the story was true. A copy of a “letter of set off in respect to my outstanding pension”, which allegedly emanated from the office of the Accountant General of Imo State, which is still trending on the social media partially reads:I…….of……….LGA, a pensioner, having retired from ……….l on salary grade level …….. with a monthly pension of …….. , being owed arrears of pension for 12 months which amounts to ……..do hereby accept to collect 40 percent of the said arrears, which amount to……. , which represent the total accumulated arrears due me up to December 2016, as a full and final settlement of all other claims of which l am entitled to make against the state government in respect of the said accumulated pension arrears……….”
The issue of payment of pensions and gratuity has been a major problem in Imo State just like in many other states of the federation. In a space of one year, the senior citizens in the state had taken to the streets three times to protest the non-payment of their pension and gratuity arrears. At a point, government brought a plan to make pensioners forfeit 10 months of the arrears, leaving the government with only 12 months to pay.
The pensioners reportedly accepted the proposal due to the love they have for the state. Unfortunately, even the reduced pay couldn’t be theirs as shortly after the agreement, government allegedly came up with the plan to force them to accept 40 percent payment of the 12 months.
During a protest by the senior citizens in Owerri, the state capital last week, the state Chairman of Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Chief Gideon Ezeji, lamented the agony his members who laboured for the state had been passing through since their pensions and gratuity stopped coming for many years now. He said while many of them had kicked the bucket due to their inability to provide their regular medication, a lot others are daily dying of hunger and deprivation. He reminded Governor Rochas Okorocha that “monthly pensions are the only wealth that most pensioners have in the whole wide world. Writing off any percentage of their arrears of pension means writing off their entire lives.”
Meanwhile, this is a state that enjoys the record of erecting the tallest and most expensive Christmas tree in the country if not in the whole of Africa. Recall that in December 2015, a whooping sum of 6million naira was allegedly spent by Imo State Government on a Christmas tree and new year decorations.
Similarly, between December 19 and 23 last year, the state government held a weeklong event tagged “Imo Thanksgiving Day” which attracted dignitaries from both within and outside the country. One is not by any means saying a state should not appreciate God for life, peace and other favours received in a year but couldn’t the people who labored for the state and country we call our own today be made to be part of the celebration by ensuring that they got a percentage of the arrears of their payments?
Don’t you think that if half of the huge amount used for the Christmas tree and new year decorations two years ago was used to offset part of the pension and gratuity arrears, the current tension in Imo State would have been defused? Definitely, the pensioners would have been happier and calmer while a befitting Christmas tree and other decorations would still be enjoyed.
It is very sad seeing how our fathers, mothers, grandparents who served this nation with all they had are constantly being awfully treated. From North to South, East to West, the situation is the same. These our heroes are poorly regarded. They are denied their rights and privileges.
In the past we heard stories of how some of them slept outside for several days, struggling to get their monies. A lot of them contracted diseases in the process while those who couldn’t withstand the stress slumped and died. The most disheartening thing is that their monies are sometimes being embezzled by some privileged individuals in authority who hardly are punished any punishment for their wrongdoings.
Indeed, it is difficult to understand why the poor ones and the led are usually expected to make sacrifices during economic hardships like the one being currently experienced in Nigeria while those in authority continue to swim in affluence. Our old and frail pensioners are asked to understand that the economy of the country is in the doldrums and be ready to forfeit their pensions and gratuity while our political leaders both at the federal and state levels make solid arrangements on how they will be catered for all through their lives by the states and the nation.
In this year’s federal budget, for instance, there is a provision for the purchase of N400million cars for the nation’s former heads of government and their deputies. Two months ago, Edo State House of Assembly approved the construction of houses for former governors and their deputies which should not be more than N200 million and N100 million respectively, in any location of their choice, thereby toeing the line of Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Rivers, Kano and a few other States that have such an elaborate retirement benefits for their ex-governors and deputies.
In addition to other emoluments, someone who has served for at most eight years should be built mansion while a civil servant who spent about 35 years, serving his state and nation cannot boast of three square meals a day. What really is the justification for that?
Every now and then we hear stories of how thousands of ghost workers are fished out in various states and federal civil service. Often, we lament that there is high level of corruption in the civil service and l think the quest for a better future among the workers is a major contributory factor.
Seeing how shabbily the people that served before them are being treated, some of them may want to do all they can to build a better future for themselves, knowing that as soon as they retire, they will be forgotten.
I therefore think that for us to succeed in the fight against corruption, embezzlement and other vices in the civil service, we should begin to accord our pensioners the respect and dignity they deserve. Let their pensions, gratuity and other benefits be made a top priority.
Calista Ezeaku
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
Do the Fulani herdsmen have an expansionists agenda, like their progenitor, Uthman Dan Fodio? Why are they everywhere even the remotest part of other areas in Nigeria harassing, maiming, raping and killing the owners of the land?”
In a swift reaction, The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) decried and strongly condemned the invasion by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
In his denunciation, MOSOP President Fegalo Nsuke described the incident as very unfortunate and deeply troubling, warning against a recurrence of the violence experienced in Benue State. “The killing of yesterday is bad and very unfortunate. We are getting preliminary information about how the herders gained access to the farmland, and it appears some hoodlums may be collecting money and granting access illegally.”
He called on the Hausa community in Rivers State to intervene swiftly to prevent further attacks.
“We want the Hausa community in Rivers State to take urgent action to ensure these issues are resolved”.
But will such appeal and requests end the violent disposition of the Fulani herdsmen? It is not saying something new that the escalating threat and breach of peace across the country by the Fulani herdsmen or those suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, leaves much to be desired in a country that is bedevilled by multi-dimensional challenges and hydra-headed problems.
Some upland Local Government Areas of Rivers State, such as Etche, Omuma, Emohua, Ikwerre, Oyigbo, Abua, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, have severally recounted their ordeals, as herdsmen invaded farmlands, destroyed crops, raped female farmers and killed protestant residents.
Again the wanton destruction of lives and properties which no doubt has overwhelmed the Nigerian Police, makes the clamour for State Police, indispensable. The National Assembly should consider the amendment of the Constitution to allow States to have their Statutory policing agencies.
As insurgency has risen to an all time high in the country were killings has now grown to be a normal daily activity in some part of the nation it may not be safe to say that Nigeria still practices democracy.
Several massacres coming from the Boko Haram and the herdsmen amongst all other insurgencies which have led to the destruction of homes and killing, burning of communities especially in the northern part of the country. All these put together are result of the ethnic battles that are fought between the tribes of Nigeria and this can be witnessed in Benue State where herders and farmers have been in constant clashes for ages. They have experienced nothing but casualties and unrest.
In the month of June 13-14, the Yelwata attack at the Guma Local Government Area by suspected gunmen or herdsmen who stormed the houses of innocent IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) claiming the lives of families, both adults and children estimated to be 200 victims. They were all burnt alive by these unknown gunmen.
This has been recorded as one of the deadliest insurgencies that had happened in recent years. Some security personnel that were trying to fight the unknown gunmen also lost their lives.
Prior to the Yelewata attack, two days before the happening, similar conflict took place in Makurdi on June 11, 2025. 25 people were killed in the State. Even in Plateau State and the Southern Kaduna an attack also took place in the month of June.
All other states that make up the Middle Belt have been experiencing the farmers/herders clash for years now and it has persisted up till recent times, claiming lives of families and children, homes and lands, escalating in 2025 with coordinated assaults.
Various authorities and other villagers who fled for safety also blamed the herdsmen in the State for the attack that happened in Yelwata community.
Ehebha God’stime is an Intern with The Tide.