By Jimitota Onoyume

PORT HARCOURT— Pensioners in Rivers State have reiterated their appeal to the state government for payment of their three months pension allowance.

President of the pensioners union in the state, Mr Edward Festus-Abibo, said the government had not paid them their monthly allowance since January,  adding that most pensioners were going through very hard time in the state.

Abibo, who led a protest of his members to the state secretariat, said it was after they protested last year that the state government paid them some of their outstanding allowances, a situation he described as unpleasant.

He said: “Senior citizens of this state have not been paid their monthly pension allowance since January, 2015. We are suffering untold hardship. What evil have we committed to warrant this type of punishment?

“Before we were paid December, 2014, we protested twice and lost two of our members during the  protests. Presently, some of our members have been sent to their graves because of starvation and lack of medical care.

“Presently, we pensioners are owed six percent  with effect from October 1, 2003 and 15 percent with effect from July 1, 2007. These increases have been computed and sent to the governor for approval and release of fund since two years ago, yet we have not heard anything about it.”