News
Workers Day: Wike Approves Pension Payment To 1,191 Additional Retirees
The Rivers State Government has approved the immediate release of monthly pensions for additional 1,191 retirees from the Rivers State Civil Service.
The State Chief Executive, Chief Nyesom Wike, disclosed this during the celebration of the 2022 Workers Day at Isaac Boro Park, Port Harcourt, last Monday.
Represented by his Deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, the governor said the payment took immediate effect from the month of April, 2022, stressing that the payments were received between Thursday and Friday, last week.
Wike, who reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the welfare of workers, said under his watch, salaries are paid to all workers in the public sector promptly and provides monthly overhead costs to enable them perform their functions and run their offices effectively.
“Rivers State Government pays salaries to all workers in the public sector promptly and provides monthly overheads to enable them perform their functions and run their offices effectively. …Government has paid all outstanding monthly pensions up till date for all who have completed their biometrics.”
“The Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike approved the release of monthly pensions for additional 1,191 retirees from the Rivers State Civil Service, which payment took immediate effect from the month of April, 2022, and was effected precisely on Thursday/Friday, last week. Now, Rivers State is committed to the welfare of our workers.”
He said government also provides impress to all schools under SUBEB and the secondary schools board, which has eliminated illegal levies to our students.
Wike expressed regrets, that the State NLC Chairperson, Comrade Beatrice Itubo, who had in the past, applauded him as the most worker-friendly governor, was the first to criticise his presidential ambition.
The governor described the theme for this year’s May Day Celebration, “Labour, Politics, the Quest for Good Governance and National Development”, as apt, in view of the current socio-economic and security challenges foisted on the people of Nigeria by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government.
While noting that the Rivers State Government has been able to surmount most security challenges to give workers in the state a safe environment to work in, Wike wished all workers in the state and their counterparts worldwide, a Happy May Day celebration.
”There is no development that can reasonably be achieved in the face of massive insecurity, banditry and herdsmen carnage that has pervaded our dear nation in the recent past.
“Rivers State under the watch of Governor Nyesom Wike has been able to surmount the security challenges within her domain to give the workers in Rivers State a safe environment to work in.”
The governor, who described civil servants as the engine room of government, urged public and private workers in the state to remain productive and committed to carrying out their duties.
Wike assured the workers that the recommendation of the tripartite committee would be adequately addressed.
“I do believe that we will continue to work together, be productive in our work. It’s the cooperation between government and labour we need to be able to improve the welfare of our workers.”
In her remarks, the state Chairperson of Nigerian Labour Congress, Comrade Beatrice Itubo, said the labour family was delighted with the state government’s payment of pension arrears to retirees, and implored them to implement the recommendations contained in the tripartite committee report.
She commended the state government for providing an enabling environment in terms of security for workers to do their jobs.
Itubo appealed to the state government to act on the welfare of the state workers by implementing the payment of arrears of the National Minimum Wage from April, 2019.
“Implementation of their promotions, payment of pension and gratuity to retirees, payment of death benefits, and termination of contract appointments to allow career progression in the public service must be done by the government.
“Others are renovation of the state secretariat complex, proper funding of tertiary institutions and inclusion of minimum wage, reinstatement and payment of over 100 workers of Ahoada West Local Government Council,” she said.
She particularly commended the state governor for leading the fight against illegal bunkering head-on.
“Let me seize this opportunity to commend Rivers State Government for the actions it has taken so far on this matter, which has made the soot that tended to become part of our reality to disappear.
“It took just a matching order from the governor to local government council chairman, traditional rulers and other critical stakeholders for illegal bunkering and illegal refining of crude oil to drastically reduce,” she stressed.
The NLC chairman commended the government for effectively tackling insecurity in the state.
“We can proudly say on good authority that in spite of the fact that criminality has assumed a much more sophisticated dimension globally, security situation in Rivers State is getting better than what it used to be a few years ago. The Government of Rivers State deserves credit for this.”
She urged the Federal Government to redouble its efforts in safeguarding the lives of the Nigerian people by tackling the security challenges facing the country.
The labour leader reminded workers of the state to note that their welfare in the coming years depends on the people they give their mandate to in 2023, and urged them to get their PVCs, while urging political gladiators to play politics with civility.
Also speaking, the State TUC Chairman, Comrade Austin Jonah, commended workers for their tenacity, sacrifice and determined contributions to the development of the state, while commending Governor Nyesom Wike for the prompt payment of workers’ salaries as well as his recourse to dialogue as a social tool for reconciling industrial disputes in the state.
Similarly, the National Vice Chairman, South-South, Labour Party (LP), Mr Prince Ruben, also called on government at all levels to improve on the welfare of workers to enhance productivity.
By: Akujobi Amadi
A Coalition of civil society organisations has urged the Federal Government to take proactive steps towards addressing the persistent gas eruptions in Bille, Rivers.
The coalition, made up of the People’s Assembly and Bille Working Group, made the call in an open letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu, and read to journalists in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Reading the letter, the coalition’s convener, Dr Isaac Osuoka, said that the persistent gas eruption in Bille had led to serious environmental and public health challenges.
Osuoka, also the Executive Director, Social Action, urged Tinubu to establish a presidential task force to investigate and contain the gas leak in Bille.
He also called for the immediate relocation of residents to safe shelters, provision of clean water, food and healthcare services.
Dr Emem Okon, the Executive Director, Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, stated that gas had been bubbling from the ground, creeks, boreholes and hand-dug wells in the community since October 2025.
Okon said that the gas had triggered several fires and explosions, and that residents of the community had reported respiratory problems, vomiting and other illnesses associated with exposure to the emissions.
According to her, preliminary investigations by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) have yet to identify the source of the gas.
Mr Kentebe Ebiaridor, the Coordinator, Oilwatch International, called for the publication of results from preliminary soil and water tests conducted in Bille for the residents to know the nature and extent of the contamination.
Ebiaridor urged the Federal Government to deploy medical teams to screen and treat affected residents, and immediately commence an independent study on the health impacts of the leak.
He further called for the suspension of oil and gas operations around OML 18 and 24 until the source of the gas leak was identified and the affected areas declared safe.
Ebiaridor urged the government to hold current and former operators of the oil leases accountable for environmental damage on the community.
Another speaker, Dr Bieye Briggs, urged the National Assembly to fast-track the NOSDRA Amendment Bill, 2025 to provide the agency with statutory funding and stronger enforcement powers.
Briggs urged the Federal Government to activate the regional Spill Command Centre, and make the Upstream Remediation Fund accessible for the Bille crisis and other affected communities in the Niger Delta.
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has banned drone operations and fireworks in Uyo and announced temporary traffic restrictions ahead of President Bola Tinubu’s visit to the State today.
The state Commissioner of Police, Baba Mohammed Azare, announced the measures yesterday while briefing journalists at the Police Headquarters in Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo.
He said the restrictions were part of security arrangements to maintain public order, protect strategic locations and ensure the smooth movement of the President’s convoy during his engagements.
“There will be total restriction on the operation and flying of drones within Uyo metropolis throughout the period of the visit. Members of the public, drone operators and service providers are advised to strictly comply with the directive,” he said.
The police commissioner also announced a ban on fireworks, knockouts and other explosive sound-producing devices within the state capital during the visit.
He said the measure would prevent panic and allow security personnel to respond effectively to genuine security threats.
The command also announced temporary restrictions on public access to designated routes and locations in Uyo to facilitate the movement of the presidential convoy.
The affected areas are Airport Road, Shelter Afrique Junction, Oron Road, Nung Oku Junction, Mbierebe Junction and Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.
“Motorists are urged to plan their journeys, exercise patience and cooperate with traffic and security personnel deployed along the corridors.
“Members of the public are advised to avoid the routes during the restriction and use alternative routes,” Azare said.
He also urged residents to plan their journeys, exercise patience and cooperate with traffic and security personnel deployed along the affected corridors.
The commissioner said the command, working with other security agencies, had put in place security arrangements to ensure a peaceful and hitch-free visit.
He appealed to residents to understand that the temporary restrictions were necessary security measures and not intended to cause hardship.
Azare urged members of the public to remain law-abiding, avoid restricted areas and report suspicious movements to the nearest police station or through police emergency channels.
Tinubu’s visit to Akwa Ibom is a working visit during which he is expected to inaugurate major infrastructure projects executed by Governor Umo Eno’s administration under its ARISE Agenda. The projects cut across aviation, road infrastructure, tourism, healthcare, land administration and security.
Among the projects scheduled for inauguration are the international terminal building and airport hospital at Victor Attah International Airport, Aviation Village, ARISE Palm Resort, the 14.5-kilometre Nsit Atai–Okobo Road, Ring Road 3, the Command and Control Centre and the AkwaGIS building.
The state government had earlier announced plans for the President to inaugurate projects as part of activities marking Akwa Ibom’s 39th anniversary in September.
The airport projects are particularly significant to the state’s ambition to expand aviation, tourism and investment.
The international terminal is expected to strengthen the airport’s capacity to handle international operations, while the Aviation Village is intended to provide accommodation for aviation workers. The airport hospital is also among the facilities lined up for inauguration.
The road projects are also expected to improve connectivity. The 14.5-kilometre Nsit Atai–Okobo Road links communities in the two local government areas, while Ring Road 3 is designed to improve movement within Uyo and ease pressure on existing roads. The Command and Control Centre, meanwhile, is intended to strengthen security surveillance and coordination in the State.
The Rivers State Ministry of Culture and Tourism has floated a culture content platform in collaboration with digital television group, Multichoice.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Freddy Ndigbara, disclosed this after a meeting with MultiChoice Head of Content Acquisition, Don Dotun Ojon, in Port Harcourt.
He assured that content entrepreneurs and film makers would enjoy the platform by promoting culture and other contents to sell the states tourism potentials.
He said MultiChoice M-net was now open to increase its patronage for content shots on locations in Rivers State, describing the State as one that has numerous potentials for film tourism.
“We were privileged to have Don Ojon with us at the Rivers International Film Festival (RIFF) at the weekend in Bonny and he saw, first hand, the numerous sites and opportunities that are open to creatives in the State. After that, we felt it was important to deepen the conversation and he obliged. This is a cheering news for the sector in the State,” he said.
Ndigbara stated that “Rivers State has many more untold stories to tell, many more contents to reel out and the assurances from the M-net Acquisition Manager is an indication that the industry in the state will soon enjoy a new lease of life”.
The Permanent Secretary thanked Ojon for the visit and assured that creatives in the State would grap this opportunity and show the world that Rivers State is a major hub for film tourism in Nigeria.
On his part, Ojon said the visit was to discuss on ways of promoting tourism in the State using creatives and film.
Ojon said although the company has recently been acquired by canal+ France and is undergoing restructuring, he would promote the chances of Rivers State to host the MultiChoice talent factory in the State.
With Asaba, capital of Delta State, being saturated, Ojon said the next port is Rivers State, which he said is capable of building fresh crop of creatives, new locations, new story lines and concepts.
He, therefore, called for collaboration from stakeholders in the State.
Kevin Nengia
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