…Ibok-Ette Ibas Launches Seamless Payment Reform to End Years of Pensioners’ Ordeal
By Kumo Amgbare
In what has been described as a historic intervention in the state’s pension administration, the Rivers State Government is set to disburse over ₦2.8 billion in pension payments to 583 verified retirees on Monday, 12th May 2025, marking a bold step towards restoring dignity and convenience to long-suffering pensioners.
According to sources close to the administration, “this is the outcome of a sweeping reform process initiated by Ibok-Ette Ibas, the Administrator of Rivers State, who has prioritised resolving the lingering pension backlog and ending the recurrent hardship that retirees endure in accessing their entitlements.”
A source, who spoke to Daybreak Nigeria, but doesn’t want her name in print, explained that “unlike previous exercises that required pensioners to travel long distances and spend days queuing at verification centres and payment points, the entire disbursement will be done electronically.”
She also said the funds will be transferred directly into the bank accounts of beneficiaries, enabling them to receive their pensions from the comfort of their homes.
According to yet another source, the Administrator personally supervised the audit and verification process to ensure that only eligible pensioners are captured, and no retiree is subjected to further bureaucratic delays or indignity.
A senior government official who confirmed the scheduled payment described it as “a major victory for transparency, compassion, and good governance.”
“What is happening on Monday is not just a payment; it is a restoration of trust,” the official said.
“This has been made possible because of the leadership style of Ibok-Ette Ibas, who insisted that governance must serve the people, especially our senior citizens who gave their best years to this state.”
Pensioners’ groups across Rivers State have hailed the development as unprecedented, with some describing it as a “new era of human-centred governance.”
A retired primary school teacher in Khana LGA expressed relief and gratitude:
“We have been travelling from place to place for years without success. I thank the Sole Administrator for remembering us. This is the first time someone is treating pensioners like human beings.”
Observers say the move may set the tone for a more technology-driven and inclusive public sector reform in the state, especially as more retirees are expected to benefit from the phased clearance initiative in the coming months.
With this development, the Administrator is reinforcing the state’s commitment to good governance above politics, ensuring that the welfare of the people—especially the elderly—is placed above every other consideration.
