LG Pensioners Threaten Public Protest

Retirees of the various Local Government Areas of Rivers State have threatened to embark on a peaceful protest to register their discontent over the delay in the processing and treatment of their files to hasten payment of their benefits.
Some of the retirees who spoke with Our Correspondent in Port Harcourt, recently, alleged that files of retirees, who left the service between May 2014 and June 2015, were dumped in the office of the Local Government Auditor General and left unattended to.
The retirees also stated that the delay in the processing of their files had brought hardship on them, and appealed to the Rivers State Government to intervene so as to alleviate their suffering.
The retirees also disclosed that they would be left with no option than to embark on a peaceful protest if nothing was done.
According to some of the retirees who spoke on condition of anonymity, the complaints had been made to the Secretary of Local Government Pensions Board, as well as the Chairman, Local Government Service Commission, but no meaningful decision had been taken on the matter.
In his reaction, the Secretary of the Rivers State Local Government Service Commission, Gabriel Adonye Jumbo, said the delay was not caused by the Commission, as local government desk officers in the various LGAs, comprising  Accountants, and Administrative Officers had processed the documents of the affected retirees and forwarded them to the office of the Auditor General for further action.
The Tide investigation also revealed that the delay in the payment of pension and other entitlements to the retirees was as a result of the absence of an acting or substantive Auditor General of Local Governments in the state, following the death of the Auditor General, late Sir Gregory Chima Anyanwu.
A staff of the pension unit of the Auditor General, local government office, who pleaded anonymity, said the Director Audit, in the office, Mr Harry Ibinabo was yet to receive mandate from the state government to act in either acting or substantive capacity, noting that the development has affected smooth administration of retirement and pension issues.

Taneh Beemene