The Rivers State Chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, wants Gov Chibuike Amaechi to take advantage of the huge internally generated revenue for the month of February, 2013 as recently announced by the State Board of Internal Revenue to pay the debts owed pensioners and arrears of allowances of Civil Servants in the State.
The ACN in a statement issued and signed by the publicity secretary of the party, Jerry Needam said it’s shocking that the state could realize such huge amount in addition to the N120b loan still in the coffers of the state government yet the elder statesmen and women whose efforts and invaluable contribution in the past kept the state afloat have continued to lament and take to the streets to be paid their legitimate pensions.
The ACN spokesman, Jerry Needam regretted that the retired and aged parents should be forced to carry placards to demand for their legitimate rights in a state that prides on its enormous resources and respect for rule of law before they can be given attention.
This is most unscrupulous, insensitive and unfortunate, he remarked.
Rather than spend the huge internally generated revenue of about N10billion which is far more than the money owed the pensioners and civil servants on fake contracts, political jobbers and prosecution of court cases, the ACN demanded that part of the amount be used to settle the pensioners’ debts once and for all.
It’s shameful to see sick and dying retired public servants who sacrificed their lives for the state on the roads Wednesday, March 13, 2013 in protest of what they described as man’s inhumanity to man.
“If there is one problem Gov Amaechi should be seen to have solved with the billions of naira he claimed to have raked in from internal sources this month and the loans he has collected so far, it should be the payment of the pensioners’ debts and arrears of civil servants allowances.
“This will pay the state more than sacrificing the money as usual on the altar of political and judicial maneuvering etc”, Jerry Needam noted.
It would be recalled that hundreds of retired civil servants in Rivers State took to the streets Wednesday, to press home their demand for their pensions owed over the years to the tune of N3billion only.
Jerry Needam, JP
Publicity Secretary
Action Congress of Nigeria
Rivers State.
March 14, 2013
