The Rivers State Administrator, Vice Admiral (Rtd.) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, has reiterated his administration’s commitment to transparency, staff welfare, and effective governance.
On the eve of the local government elections, Administrator Ibas met with leaders of organised labour and Local Government Administrators to discuss the ongoing staff verification exercise and other pressing issues.
The meeting, held at Government House in Port Harcourt, aimed to underscore the intrinsic link between accountable leadership and effective grassroots governance.
Ibas emphasized that the timing of the meeting was deliberate, given the significance of the local government elections scheduled for the next day.
The Administrator disclosed that the staff verification exercise has yielded significant results.
According to him, 37,703 state staff have been verified, compared to a previous figure of over 43,000.
Additionally, 19,186 state pensioners have been verified, compared to over 25,500, while 2,004 local government pensioners have been verified out of over 2,600.
In seven local government areas, 8,000 local government staff have been verified.
Ibas set a firm deadline of September 4, 2025, for the completion of all local government staff verification. He vowed to deploy all necessary state resources to meet this goal, emphasizing the necessity of the process for accountable leadership and effective grassroots governance.
The Administrator expressed concern over the discovery of an overpayment of ₦117 million in the March schedule, which has prompted an official investigation.
He warned that there will be consequences for such malpractice, describing it as a crime against colleagues whose bereaved families are left in pain and penury.
Regarding gratuity and death benefits, Ibas revealed that only arrears for March 2025 have been cleared due to challenges with verified records.
He assured workers that efforts are ongoing to settle outstanding arrears.
Leaders of the labour unions present at the meeting commended the administration for the reforms, highlighting the transparency and inclusivity of the verification process.
The Acting Head of the Rivers State Civil Service, Dr. (Mrs.) Inyingi Brown, provided a detailed breakdown of the verification numbers, noting the extensive support provided to pensioners.
Ibas appealed to all Rivers people to conduct themselves peacefully during the August 30 local government elections.
He assured workers of his administration’s continued collaboration with labour unions, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a peaceful and stable environment in the state.
“All necessary arrangements have been made to ensure a safe and peaceful election. Please go out tomorrow and exercise your civic responsibility without fear or intimidation,” he urged.
Leave a Comment